Midge Woolsey, WQXR Host
Midge Woolsey's grounding in opera and musical theater led her to become a producer and host for public television and radio, proudly serving the tristate community with her soothing presence for over 30 years.
Enjoying the Opera During the Dog Days of Summer
Tuesday, July 06, 2010 - 04:28 PM
This weekend, the Martina Arroyo Foundation’s Prelude to Performance program draws to a close with fully staged productions of The Magic Flute, Gianni Schicchi and Donizetti’s Rita at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. I distinctly remember the first time I attended one of the Foundation’s summertime performances. It was an extremely hot day and the air conditioned comfort of the theater was absolutely delightful. It was even better than going to the movies because there was a live orchestra and beautiful sets and costumes. What a way to spend a summer day!
I will be at both of the performances this weekend and hope you can come, too. If you can’t come this weekend, there are additional performances on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. By the way, if you are new to the opera or would like to bring a friend who has never had the experience, both The Magic Flute and Gianni Schicchi are perfect for first time listeners!
So that’s one of the things I like to do on a hot summer day in New York. What do you like to do?
Comments [7]
Got to listen to the Overture to the Magic Flute at the Hollywood Bowl this past Thursday with Leonard Slatkin conducting and Sir James Galway performing.
On one 'dog day' earlier in this waning summer I saw Aaron Copeland's 'The Tender Land' performed by terrific young artists at Glimmerglass Opera near Cooperstown. The experience drove me to the library where I found a 1960s era compilation of essays by Copeland on American composers (among others) dating back to the 1920s. Copeland was an extraordinarily gifted critic and a fine writer. By jumping back and forth between the book and a slew of Wikipedia bios on the composers he referenced, my understanding of 20th century American music and the many distinguished composers whose names are familiar to us all has been expanded exponentially.
James Conlon is the star "performer" in this Achim Freyer production at the Los Angeles Opera Company of "Das Rheingold". Hearing it only on WQXR, one has no idea of the acting, sets or costumes but Michelle De Young as Fricka has the richness of voice and presents a nobility of statement. ALL the performers, the Wotan, Loge, Mime, Alberich, Froh, Donner, Froh, Freia, Erda and the Rhine Maidens had voices and interpretations commensurate with world class performance. Congratulations and kudos to all involved, particularly Placido Domingo, the dsirector of the Los Angeles Opera.
It was a great pleasure to listen to the Shostacovich 5th Symphony, performance by Leonard Berstein in Moscow, and to hear your wonderful coments about the great reaction there must have been from the audience. I was in Moscow when Maestro Berstein was there. I did not go to the concert, but I remember him telling us (a group of American tourists) not to go to the concerts there. Go to them at Home. Let the Russians go to them!
Siepi deserves much more than a curt RIP.I heard him many times as Don Giovanni, Gurnemantz, Mephisto, Figaro, Don Basilio, etc. His voice, his wonderful acting made his appearances unforgettable to this day. It would be nice of WQXR to put a few arias on its playlist and list his complete discography.
I find the "cool" thing to do any day, not only on the "hot days of summer," is to compose operas. My favorite "librettist" is Shakespeare, who in "The Merchant of Venice" extolled music "The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils"
R.I.P. Cesare Siepi
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