Just because it’s been a while.

Madama Butterfly. “Cio-Cio-San” is the heroine’s real name, while “Madame Butterfly” is a nickname.

I’ve read so many synopses of the opera that introduce the heroine as “Cio-Cio-San, nicknamed Butterfly,” “Cio-Cio-San, known as Madame Butterfly,” or some variation thereof. Actually, the two names are
one and the same. “Chouchou,” or “cho-cho” means “butterfly” in Japanese (“cio-cio” is the Italian spelling), while “san” is a title of respect, a la “Mr.” “Mrs.”… or “Madame.” This is presumably her professional name. Her birth name, in keeping with geisha tradition, is never mentioned. Read the rest of this entry »

A few years ago, I discovered this hilarious list: The Things I Will Not Do When I Direct A Shakespeare Production, On Stage Or Film (http://angevin2.livejournal.com/148520.html). In the comments section, someone suggests that a similar list should be made about opera productions, and even recommended an entry involving Tosca. So I decided to make one. Read the rest of this entry »

In modern Internet speak, “canon” means the unquestionable truth of a work of fiction: what’s actually written or shown in it, or what the author says about it. “Fanon” means ideas about the story and characters that are commonly held by fans of the work, but really have little to no basis in canon. Fanon can result either from misinterpretation of the text, from “filling in the blanks” of a subject that the text leaves vague,

Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t know whether this will be successful or not, but I’d like to start a discussion. A character discussion of one of the greatest, most complex of all opera protagonists, Verdi’s Rigoletto. There’s no question that the iconic hunchback is neither fully good nor fully bad; that he has both a light side and a very dark side. I’ve always been

Read the rest of this entry »

There is a legend of far-away China which tells of the beauty and the treachery of the siren Sea – – whose favors are a mortgage upon the soul – – who gives gifts of joy and love, but demands double payment in disappointment and loneliness.” Read the rest of this entry »

I remember the first time I ever heard Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s voice. It was as Papageno in Karl Böhm’s classic recording of The Magic Flute, which someone gave me for Christmas when I was fourteen. I remember being instantly struck by the sound of that bright, golden baritone. Read the rest of this entry »

Modern retellings of opera stories are always interesting to explore. A few weeks ago, at a library, I discovered a 1990 graphic novel retelling of The Magic Flute, by the famous comic book creator Read the rest of this entry »