Category Archives: Opera

A Stereotypical Canadian in Rossini

Yesterday I saw for the first time Rossini’s first opera, the one-act farce La Cambiale di Matrimonio (The Bill of Marriage). It is set in England, and the most amusing character is the Canadian Slook, who has crossed the Atlantic … Continue reading

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An Obscure Anniversary

. . . and I almost missed it. Today is the 200th anniversary of the death of Vicent Martín i Soler. He seems to be a mere footnote* today, but what I’ve heard of his operas (Una Cosa Rara and … Continue reading

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Horace In Rossini

In honor of the 2012th anniversary of the death of Horace, here is the opening of Act I, Scene XIV of Rossini’s delightful Il Turco in Italia, which I saw and heard for the first time today (on DVD). The … Continue reading

Posted in Latin Literature, Nachleben, Opera | Tagged | 1 Comment

Two Footnotes

I always have a mild urge to call them ‘feetnotes’ . . . . Two things that surprised me about Der Rosenkavalier at the Met yesterday: 1. I don’t think I’d ever heard a non-ironic non-metaphorical use of the word … Continue reading

Posted in Jokes, Opera | 1 Comment