Submit Content  |  Subscribe  |  Customer Service  |  Place An Ad 
* Weather * Events * Visitor's Guide * Classifieds * Jobs * Cars * Homes * Apartments * Shopping * Dating
*
Cincinnati.Com
Blogs

*
*
*

Cincinnati.Com

NKY.com
Enquirer
CiN Weekly
Community Press & Recorder
cincyMOMS.com
CincinnatiUSA
Data Center
*
*
*
*
*

*
Classical Music
Janelle Gelfand on the classical music scene


Janelle's pen has taken her to Japan, China, Carnegie Hall, Europe (twice), East and West Coasts, and Florida. In fact, Janelle was the first Enquirer reporter to report from Europe via e-mail -- in 1995.

Janelle began writing for the Cincinnati Enquirer as a stringer in 1991 while writing a Ph.D. dissertation in musicology at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She joined the Enquirer staff in 1993.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she graduated from Stanford University, Janelle has lived in Cincinnati for more than 30 years. In her free time, this pianist plays chamber music with her circle of musical friends in Cincinnati.

She covers the Cincinnati Symphony, May Festival and Cincinnati Opera, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, chamber music ensembles, and as many recitals and events at CCM and NKU as possible.

Powered by Blogger

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Music Fusion a blast



The folks who brought you Music Fusion week are crowing about the estimated 200,000 people who came downtown (and Riverbend) over the weekend to attend performances, see the Reds, eat and shop.

The event, dreamed up by Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network, was aimed at out-of-town visitors (hmm, does that mean people in Mason and Lebanon?). Clearly the big draw was Macy's Music Festival, which, despite the downpour on Friday and the Mary J. Blige no-show, attracted more than 20,000.

I was at the Sunday performance of Aida in Music Hall, which was packed to the rafters, with the largest attendance of any of the season offerings (more than 3,100). Not bad, considering the Reds were playing, too.

Included in the week's events were Jimmy Buffett and, at the Pops last week, Vanessa Williams. And the Freedom Center on Saturday had record attendance when it opened its doors and had free entrance. The kickoff concert with Gerald Alblright drew more than 3,000, making it one of the largest crowds on Fountain Square since the renovation.

What's your take on this?


Rumors in Detroit


Mark Stryker of the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Leonard Slatkin is a hot contender to replace Neeme Jarvi at the Detroit Symphony. From his early post at St. Louis Symphony, where he was a highly visible part of the city, Slatkin, now 62, been considered one of America's best conductors.

Detroit has struggled long and hard to make the pick... Then there's this: "Despite Slatkin's high profile, he was unknown ... to most DSO players because he hadn't been here in 20 years," reports Stryker.

They appointed Peter Oundjian (who has Cincinnati ties as former CCM faculty member and former violinist in the Tokyo String Quartet) as principal guest conductor and artistic adviser while they undergo the search.

Photo: Phil McCarten, AP


Thursday, July 26, 2007

Levine to conduct Meistersinger in 2010


In case you missed it, Wednesday was a big news day for Cincinnati Opera. The company has also extended the contract of Evans Mirageas, artistic director, and has made plans out to 2012. Click here for an updated schedule, to 2010.

Meanwhile, in today's paper, I interviewed Aida's Amneris, Irina Mishura, who sang with the company a decade ago.

Photo: Michael J. Lutch, courtesy of Boston Symphony Orchestra


Egyptian mummies and Flash Gordon


Now that we were suitably blown away by Cincinnati Opera's "Aida," a newish co-production of the companies of Detroit, Miami and Milwaukee, we can ask about some of the costumes -- what were they thinking?

What's the deal with those ballet dancers (I don't have a photo, but you'll know them when you see them) who were dressed sort of like lost Trekkies? Flash Gordon also comes to mind. I must say, the women were dressed divinely, but Radames had to wear somewhat frumpy attire. As for the chorus, shown here with Lisa Daltirus (Aida) and Irina Mishura (Amneris), we love the mummy look.

What was your favorite costume?


Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Pictures on the wall



Talk about name dropping! I always enjoy looking at old photos of famous people. But when I was in Evans Mirageas' office at Cincinnati Opera the other day, it was hard not to stare at a couple of photos of him with superstars James Levine and Luciano Pavarotti. Of course, it turns out these guys are Mirageas' old buds.

A lot of his friendships -- La Renee, Cecilia, Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna, Sir Georg Solti, et al -- are from when Mirageas was an executive for Decca Records. In his office there's a photo of him with Levine, brother Tom Levine (an artist) and Mirageas' partner, from a recording session of "a crazy recording, this forgettable piece by Verdi called "The Hymn to the Nations," he says.

Then there was the time Mirageas asked Jimmy if he'd play piano (a little Bellini, Rossini, Donizetti?) for a recording with Cecilia Bartoli. "He said, 'Aren’t you smart, you need a real opera pianist for these pieces.' So we made a recording," Evans says.

Levine was, at the time,conducting a new production of the Ring in Bayreuth. So Cecilia went to Bayreuth, and they made the record in "a wonderful old 18th-century jewel box of an opera house" in Bayreuth. Jimmy conducted "Rheingold" Monday night and on Tueday, played Donizetti songs in the little theater.

Photos: Evans caught in a rainstorm in Bayreuth (notice Levine did not offer him his towel) and with Pavarotti in Milan.

For more name-dropping, click here.


Monday, July 23, 2007

The Temps


After reading Sunday's story about the Temptations Review coming to the Macy's Music Festival next weekend, John Heinrich, who played football for Central Vocational High School (the building is now Cincionnati State), wonders what ever happened to Withrow High's Otis Williams? If you know, post it below. Here's his question:

"In my senior year we played Withrow High School whose team, the
Tigers, featured a halfback named Otis Williams. He was not a large person,
but he was extremely fast and was blessed with a really good offensive line.
At the end of that season, he was named , by the Enquirer, to the All-City
team, first team.

At that same time, as it had for many years, Withrow High School, presented
its annual variety show called "The Withrow Minstrels". During that same
time I became aware of a R&B singing group called "The Charms". They had
several records which became big hits with the teenagers of the area. The
All-City halfback Otis Williams, was the lead singer of the Charms.

After I graduated, I entered the Marine Corps and the next year was
stationed in Washington, D.C. At some point in 1956, I was at a house party where 45's were the source for dance music. Looking through the stacks of records I found a 45 by the Charms, "Come Down From Your Ivory Tower". I thought that the group was
going to go "big time". But I could not have foreseen the demise of that
style of Rythym & Blues being so near at hand.

Then in the Sixties I heard the Temptations and found out that the man who
was the original "Temp" was an Otis Williams. I naturally thought he was the
singer who had been the lead singer of the Charms. Some years later I found
that I was mistaken.

When I returned to Cincinnati in 1994, I kept looking for references to Otis
in the entertainment sections of the various papers in the city. I have seen
nothing, no mention of him or the Charms at all.

I'm wondering if he is still alive, if he might still involved in
singing/making appearences. If he is still active, and you contact, be
assured he will not remember me, as the Tigers ran roughshod over us.We were
not a memorable team. I'm also curious about when Withrow High ceased
producing the "Minstrels".

I enjoyed you article as I have been a long time fan of the Temptations.


Friday, July 20, 2007

Rumors, harmony and discord


Take a look at this troubling article from Cleveland Magazine about the future of the Cleveland Orchestra and ask yourself if the same questions could be applied to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The problems are hidden on page 6 of this article, where the author points out that in 2005, Cleveland lost $4.4 million. In 2006, its deficit was $5.7 million.

Cincinnati's loss has not been that dramatic, but a large draw from the endowment over several years partly masked its deficit. Now that the orchestra is reducing its draw down to an acceptable 6 percent, it is challenged to close an annual $2 million gap. Will it succeed?

I've heard the same comment voiced by board members here that are quoted in this story, about dropping down to a "regional orchestra."

That would be tragic in both cities.

At stake here, as in Cleveland, is keeping an institution in our city that we can say is one of the nation's finest.

Meanwhile, coming up are musician contract negotiations in Cincinnati, an endowment campaign and -- possibly -- a renovation of Music Hall.

Rumors on that front are not promising, either. I've heard the number $100 million tossed around about renovations. And I've also heard "Who's in charge?"

Between the city owning the building, CAA managing it, and 3CDC building (we think) a garage next door (but Music Hall is not on their radar screen) -- nobody seems to know what anybody is doing...


Thursday, July 19, 2007

Tenor Jerry Hadley



America lost another opera star this week, when tenor Jerry Hadley died Wednesday at age 55. He had been in a coma since attempting suicide last week.

Hadley performed several times in Cincinnati, memorably with the Cincinnati May Festival, as well as for a Cincinnati Opera gala.

In 1994, he performed an opera evening at the May Festival with Roberta Peters, in what was, I believe, her last Cincinnati performance. Here's what I wrote about Hadley:

"Who says Pavarotti is the last Italian tenor? He may be only half Italian (he joked earlier), but American tenor Hadley - making his debut - proved he has all the stuff of an operatic heartthrob: thrilling high notes, charisma and superb interpretation.

Hadley was winning as Peters' partner in duos such as 'Libiamo' (La traviata), where they took a spin on the dance floor. He concluded the program with a Neapolitan song recital (with added accordion, mandolin and guitar), knowing just how to work the crowd in 'Passione,' 'Maria Mari' and 'Core 'ngrato.'"

One of my favorite recordings of Don Giovanni is the one he made with Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for Telarc. Hadley sang Don Ottavio.

Photos: Singing "The Great Gatsby" with soprano Dawn Upshaw at the Metropolitan Opera, and in Cincinnati, at an opera gala with guest Geza von Habsburg, arts patron Joanie Lotts and then-artistic director Nic Muni


New York Philharmonic picks a maestro


No doubt you've seen the news that the New York Phil has selected its next music director. Alan Gilbert, 40, will succeed Lorin Maazel, beginning with the 2009-10 season. At which time, I think, Mr. Maazel will be 79 years old...

Here's a photo from Gilbert's guest-conducting gig in Cincinnati back in 1996, when he impressed with Shostakovich's 10th. At the time, though, I recall that the musicians were less than impressed, perhaps due to his tender age.

I'm sort of impressed at the list of maestros they DIDN'T pick. There's some awfully good work being done by James Conlon (a native New Yorker), David Robertson, the Jarvi clan, Robert Spano...


Conlon adds another honor to his heap


James Conlon, May Festival music director, is being honored by the Anti-Defamation League for his work championing composers silenced by the Third Reich. Conlon will receive the League's Crystal Globe Award at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park near Chicago on Aug. 12.

For several seasons at the May Festival, Conlon has promoted neglected and unknown works by composers such as Viktor Ullmann and Alexander Zemlinsky who suffered or were killed during the Holocaust. He has expanded that mission to include a series at the Ravinia Festival called "Breaking the Silence," as well as a "Recovered Voices" project at Los Angeles Opera. Conlon is music director at both institutions.

"With its systematic suppression of Jewish musicians, artists and writers, the Third Reich silenced two generations of composers and, with them, an entire musical landscape," Conlon says.

Previous recipients of the Crystal Globe Award include Danny Glover and Roberto Benigni.


Wednesday, July 18, 2007

A grand night for singing


Significant operatic voices and more than a few showstopping moments had the smallish Riverbend crowd on its feet several times in Sunday's "Salute to Cincinnati Opera" with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Symphony.

With such singers, it was like the kind of opera gala you might find in New York City, airing over PBS. (Except for the Riverbend sound system. Yikes.)

Here's the cast: The radiant opera singer Lisa Daltirus, who stars as Aida next week (shown), Canadian tenor Richard Margison -- who possesses one of the most impressive voices I've heard -- Cincinnati tenor Mark Panuccio (a rising star with a knockout voice), a wonderful Metropolitan Opera baritone named Gordon Hawkins, mezzo-soprano Soon Cho and CCM student Brendan Tuohy (a young tenor to watch) performed arias and scenes, backed by the May Festival Summer Chorus and the CSO.

Gordon Hawkins soared through the "Toreador Song" from Carmen with powerful high notes and an electric presence. Later, he delivered a beautifully felt rendition of "Di Provenza il mar" from "La Traviata."

Other Carmen offerings included a not-too-steamy Habanera by Soon Cho (I like her better in Mozart), and a delightful Flower Song by Tuohy. This tenor has a natural communicative power, effortless delivery and I thought his enunciation of the French was excellent.

Then we came to La Boheme, with Mark Panuccio and Lisa Daltirus. His "Che gelida manina" was simply stunning. He displayed a bright Italianate tenor with the thrilling timbre of a young Pavarotti, and nuanced phrasing. (What a switch from the John Adams he sang last week!! This is his music.) Daltirus was ravishing in a drop-dead golden gown, as she sang "Mi chiamano Mimi," projecting a creamy, stunning sound and great beauty of line. Their duet, "O soave fanciulla" took your breath away.

We all wondered WHO would be the one to sing "Nessun dorma." It turned out to be Richard Margison, surely one of the great tenors of the world right now, who gave it his stentorian all. What fun it was, then, when he brought out his daughter, Lauren, 15, and the two sang a pop duet, "Somewhere Out There" from "An American Tale." She's a natural. Look out, American Idol.

After intermission, it was a lighter program, that had Hawkins and Daltirus singing "Bess, You is My Woman Now," from "Porgy and Bess" -- she glowing, he like a rock.

"Tonight" from "West Side Story" was fun, with the chorus as Sharks and Jets setting the scene before the rumble. Too bad the mikes were so off balance for the soloists.

The Triumphal Scene from "Aida" made a great finale. Kunzel kept tempos brisk and the orchestra sounded terrific. (The CSO trumpets are always incomparable in that fanfare.) Kunzel opened with the Prelude to Die Meistersinger (marred by a faulty sound system, from where I sat in pavilion), and also did a nicely phrased "Bacchanale" from Samson et Dalilah.

The chorus provided wonderful color in numbers such as the Brindisi from La traviata.

Heads up: Half of this cast will be in "Aida."

Cincinnati Opera's "Aida" finishes the opera season with four performances, starting next Wednesday. Click here for tickets.

The Pops continues this weekend at Riverbend. Click here for info.


Monday, July 16, 2007

Speaking of opera


After reading my Sunday story where Erich Kunzel reflected on his 50th anniversary conducting opera, I got a call from Jack Ward, retired music teacher at New Richmond and Norwood schools.

It seems that the story reminded Jack of that horrible "Pelleas et Melisande" at CCM in 1969, staged by Dino Yannopoulos. Jack had taken three busloads of kids from New Richmond, and prepared them ahead of time about the opera they would see.

But nothing prepared them, or him, for seeing a bunch of ladders for a set.

"I pulled 150 kids out of 'Pelleas' and as we left, (CCM) management asked what was wrong. My answer: I brought 150 high school students to the Opera with sets and costumes. Instead we get ladders. I have ladders in my garage!!!! We're on our way
back to New Richmond, thank you!

"I was never so upset.....and how do you explain that to the students who
paid to see the Opera?"

So, it's not just recently that stage directors have had modern ideas...

By the way, watch for a blog review of last night's Cincinnati Opera tribute by Kunzel and the CSO at Riverbend. What a show!


Friday, July 13, 2007

Nixon in China



There were some pretty strong opinions about "Nixon in China" last night at the opera. Here's my review. What did you think?

Photos: Phil Groshong

Maureen O'Flynn as Pat Nixon and Robert Orth as Mr. President.

Cincinnati native Thomas Hammons as Kissinger, with Chen-Ye Yuan as Chou En-lai and Mark Panuccio as Chairman Mao.


Wednesday, July 11, 2007

The Mighty Wurlitzer finds a home






Here's the news.

Photos: A model of the chamber that will house the pipes in the west end of Music Hall's Ballroom.

Some of the bells and whistles behind the scenes of a Wurlitzer theater organ.

Ronald Wehmeier, Cincinnati organ rebuilder, displaying the "Duo-Art" grand piano that will play along with the Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ, and playing his own Wurlitzer theater organ, from a 5,000-seat Chicago movie palace.


WLW's Moon River organ


Attention organ aficionados: Whatever happened to the theater organ at the Shady Nook on US 27, Millville, OH, that is believed to be the WLW Moon River organ? The famed organ was named after the late night broadcasts by "The Nation's Station."

The Shady Nook has been closed for years (at least 7 or 8) but people say the organ is still there, sitting in the empty restaurant.

This photo is from www.theaterorgans.com.

Enquiring minds want to know!


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

What I'm reading this week


Margaret MacMillan's "Nixon and Mao: The Week that Changed the World" (Random House: $27.95). Your eyes won't glaze over when you read Margaret MacMillan's account of Richard Nixon's unprecedented visit to China to meet with Mao in 1972. MacMillan's writing is lucid, compelling and a fascinating study of the personalities of these two leaders and the complex statesmen around them, through the prism of the Cold War and general mistrust between East and West.

There are some fascinating revelations, such as when Air Force One touched down in Beijing, there was almost no one there to greet him, and Beijing streets looked like a ghost town. People had been told to stay away. Nixon did not know for sure whether he'd get time with Mao (which was some cause for concern by Haldeman and Kissinger). And, at the last minute when he got an audience and sped across town for the meeting, it was "too late" to let the American press know. Consequently, this landmark meeting was only documented by Chinese media.

Cincinnati Opera's "Nixon in China" opens Thursday. Click here for tickets.


Monday, July 09, 2007

The votes are in


The judges' votes are in, and Ching-Yun Hu is the winner of the gold medal at the 51st World Piano Competition in the finals held Saturday at the Aronoff Center.
Hu, 25, a native of Taipei, Taiwan, will receive a Lincoln Center recital valued at $35,000 and a cash prize of $10,000.

Christopher Atzinger, 30, a native of Jackson, Mich., won the silver medal, and $5,000. Russian pianist Yuri Shadrin, 26 won the bronze medal and $3,000 cash prize.

Hu won the gold with a performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in a performance conducted by Neal Gittleman, who is in his 12th season as music director of the Dayton Philharmonic.

Hu is a rising star pianist who has performed extensively throughout the world as a Yamaha Artist. This season, she made her Lincoln Center debut in Alice Tully Hall and performed at the Philips Collection in Washington, D.C. A graduate of the Juilliard School, where she studied with Oxana Yablonskaya and Herbert Stessin, she now studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

The Artist Division of the competition attracted 20 contestants, ages 18 to 30, who began competing on July 2. The field was winnowed to seven in the semifinals, held Thursday.

Other winners included Russian pianist Ilya Kazantsev, 23, who came in fourth and won $1,000. Fifth place and $500 went to Oleksandr Poliykov, 29, of Ukraine. Chinese pianist Rui Shi, 24, and New Zealand pianist Henry Wong Doe, 30, tied for sixth place and $150 each.

The judges were Larissa Dedova of Russia; Swan Kwon of South Korea; Minoru Miura of Japan; Robert Ruckman, chair of Sinclair Community College’s music department in Dayton and Robert Thomas, professor of piano and head of the keyboard division at Miami University, Oxford. Fox19's Jack Atherton hosted the event.

I'm still trying to figure out why their Web site lists the Third Place winner first. Hmmm.

For info, visit www.cincinnatiwpc.org.


Friday, July 06, 2007

Glammy Award: Most Creative Program Idea


The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra wins the Glammy for this weekend's freebie concerts, "Country vs. Disco," tonight in Boone Woods Park and Saturday in Devou Park.

Let me get this straight -- JR Cassidy is asking folks to wear either country denim or -- polyester? And, he's matching up "Boot Scootin' Boogie" with "Dancing Queen"?

OK, it sounds hokey, but you have to admit, it's original. And maestro Cassidy will probably get THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE to come out.

The Kentucky Symphony's 15-piece Studio orchestra joins with vocalists for tunes like "Redneck Woman" and a Bee-Gees medley. Free admission and parking ($5 donation suggested). Shows are 7:30 p.m. today, Boone Woods Park and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Devou Park. the show repeats at 6 p.m. Sunday at Greenbo Lake State Park (that one charges admission, $15 adult; $10 students).

Click here for info.

(I'll have to do more of these Glammys. Got any nominations?)


Conlon gets a Juilliard post


James Conlon, May Festival music director, is in the news again for a new residency announced this week at the Juilliard School in New York. For the next two years, 2007-09, Conlon will lead performances, master classes, coaching sessions and symposia. The residency will be devoted to the music and musicians that were suppessed by Nazi Germany (in a continuing survey of "Recovered Voices") and the role of classical artists in contemporary society.

Conlon is an ardent champion of the little-known repertoire that survived the rise of the Third Reich, and is including some of that repertoire in his programs at Ravinia this summer, and at the LA Opera, where he holds music directorships.

The second part of his residency will be interesting -- the artist's role in society today. Juilliard's president, Joseph Polisi (former dean of CCM) has written a excellent book on the same topic.


Nixon sightings in Cincinnati


Ever the politician, President Richard Nixon has been spotted around Cincinnati this week, giving his Victory sign on Fountain Square and at Great American Ball Park and indulging in Graeter's in Hyde Park. (Raspberry Chip appears to be Mr. President's favorite flavor.) To burn off all those calories from eating, perhaps, a few too many three-ways, he was also seen performing Tai Chi in Eden Park and striding (albeit, not jogging) across the Purple People Bridge. Oh, and the day wouldn't be complete for the Commander in Chief without a toss at Cincinnati's favorite pasttime.


Thursday, July 05, 2007

Beverly Sills tribute tonight on TV



Tune in tonight at 8 p.m. on CET (Channel 48), when Great Performances presents "BEVERLY SILLS: MADE IN AMERICA." It's the story of the opera star's career in her own words. Introduced by Barbara Walters, it features such Sills signature roles as Massenet's Manon and Douglas Moore's Baby Doe, as well as countless TV interviews and talk-show appearances.

Look for Carol Burnett, Johnny Carson, and The Muppets (Photo: Auditions for Pigoletto).

How many of you remember Irma Lazarus' "Conversations with Irma"? Here's a link to an interview Irma did with Beverly Sills.


Money, money, money


According to an orchestra management blog, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's Steven Monder earned the fourth highest salary among orchestra executive directors in the country in the 2004-05 season.

Drew McManus, administrator of the "Adaptistration" blog at artsjournal.com has examined more than 40 American orchestra's nonprofit reports to the IRS to compile his list. The top five:

The Los Angeles Philharmonic's Deborah Borda earned $1,325,542
The New York Philharmonic's Zarin Mehta earned $767,807
The Cleveland Orchestra's Gary Hanson earned $559,227
The Cincinnati Symphony's Steven Monder earned $530,383
The Boston Symphony's Mark Volpe earned $476,122

But Monder's reported compensation was inflated due to a one-time pension payout, that year, the orchestra says. His actual salary was $303,490. That puts him in a league down the list with the Detroit Symphony ($331,673) and the Baltimore Symphony ($324,467).

One has to read the fine print to get the full story on that whopping $1.3 million salary in LA. McManus notes that Borda's salary is a fluke due to a lump sum payment because of changes in a life insurance policy, hidden in the back of the orchestra's 990 Form to the IRS.

Still, with that payment subtracted, she remains the top paid exec, with $894,390, he reports.

McManus, on the other hand, cautions that these numbers may actually under-report the total compensation picture, leaving out such perks as bonuses and incentive pay, or travel and expense accounts.

Monder, 62, is the longest-tenured chief executive of a major orchestra in the U.S. The nation's fifth-oldest orchestra is ranked among the top 10 orchestras by budget (about $35 million), artistic quality and breadth of operations.

Photo: CETconnect
To watch a clip of Steven Monder talking about his job as president, visit this link at Cetconnect.


Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Beverly Sills


Her smile was as dazzling as her voice. We all knew Beverly Sills, the diva who was not a diva, an international star and American icon who probably single-handedly (in her latest project) saved the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. If you grew up with Sesame Street, Carol Burnett and Johnny Carson, you remember how she could wow the studio audience and many millions more out there in TV land, raising national awareness for opera and classical music like no one else could.

Miss Sills died on Monday at age 78. Her agent said in a brief news item yesterday that she only found out about her cancer four weeks ago.

Throughout the '60s and '70s, she made many trips to Cincinnati to perform some of her most famous roles with Cincinnati Opera. It was during the height of her career. She sang roles at the Zoo Opera, 1965-68 and '71, and when the company moved indoors to Music Hall, she sang three more seasons there, 1972-74.

She had much sadness in her own life, but "the smiling face all the time was an inspiration," says Florence Kaufman of Amberley Village. "Just to watch the drive -- she had to meet and greet everyone. We were often together, sitting next to the (Pat and Ralph) Corbetts for years -- front row Opera. At Zoo rehearsals, we were in line together for lunch with Tito Copobianco.

"She was 'bubbly' and she would talk about her dress, how did she look, and wanted to know if she sounded OK. She was close to the Corbetts."

Her roles in Cincinnati:

At the Zoo:

1965: All three heroines, Olympia, Giuletta and Antonia, in Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann."

1966: Marguerite in Gounod's "Faust"; and the three heroines in "The Tales of Hoffmann."

1967: Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata" with Placido Domingo as Alfredo; and Rosalinda in Strauss' "Die Fledermaus."

1968: Lucia in Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor"; and the three heroines in "The Tales of Hoffmann."

1971: Lucia in "Lucia di Lammermoor"

In Music Hall:

1972: Violetta in "La Traviata"

1973: Marie in Donizetti's "The Daughter of the Regiment."

1974: Queen Elizabeth I in Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux.

AP Photo: Beverly Sills and Barbara Walters in 2003, attending the wedding of Rudy Giuliani (photo by Diane Bondareff)


Monday, July 02, 2007

Nixon in China -- Kissinger in Cincy?



Neither Nixon nor Kissinger ever saw John Adams' opera "Nixon in China" when it premiered in 1987. The buzz is that Kissinger has been invited to attend the Cincinnati Opera production of Nixon in China, opening July 12.

Think he'll come?

Here's the former U.S. Secretary of State arriving with Nancy at the White House for a State Dinner in honor of Queen Elizabeth II in May of this year (AP photo Haraz N. Ghanbari); and still gladhanding in China last week, for the 20th anniversary of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for American Studies, in China's eastern Jiangsu Province. AP Photo/Eyepress


Riverbend thoughts



What was your reaction to the Sunday story about Riverbend's planned new smaller amphitheater, and the other big amphitheaters that are being sold around the country?

Will you attend shows in the smaller venue?

Any other Riverbend thoughts? The traffic line into the parking lot was kinda clogged when I went last week. Given the serious wreck that occurred last week on I-275, I wonder if there's a better way to funnel people in and out...

Photos by Jeff Swinger, of the crowd at the Chicago concert Tuesday night.


Mormon Tabernacle Choir




Here's the review about the choir's debut with the Cincinnati Pops.

I've never seen such a quiet audience at Riverbend, and there must have been 12,000 or 15,000 people! (The symphony would not divulge the attendance...but they were just about doing a jig about the big crowd.) Lots of folks were in their Sunday best... I was impressed at all the families.

As traffic slowed crossing the Ohio River bridge, I couldn't help thinking about that awful wreck there a couple of days earlier. I think they need to put some red lights on the road ahead on concert days, as a warning.

Traffic was slow, but handled pretty well going in and out of the Riverbend parking lot. I drove out right behind Edyth and Carl Lindner, in their chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce (No. 1). Only in Cincinnati!



Blogs
Jim Borgman
Today at the Forum
Paul Daugherty
Politics Extra
N. Ky. Politics
Pop culture review
Cincytainment
Who's News
Television
Roller Derby Diva
Art
CinStages Buzz....
The Foodie Report
cincyMOMS
Classical music
John Fay's Reds Insider
Bengals
High school sports
NCAA
UC Sports
CiN Weekly staff
Soundcheck


Site Map:   Cincinnati.Com |  NKY.com |  Enquirer |  CiN Weekly |  CincinnatiUSA
Customer Service:   Search |  Subscribe Now |  Customer Service |  Place An Ad |  Contact Us
Classified Partners:   Jobs: CareerBuilder.com |  Cars: cars.com |  Homes: HOMEfinder |  Apartments: apartments.com |  Shopping: ShopLocal.com
Copyright © 1996-2005:   Use of this site signifies agreement to terms of service and privacy policy updated 10/05/2005