Josmar16

LATEST ARTICLES ( 436 )

• The Lion of Venice Roars and Sputters: The Raging Storms of Verdi’s ‘Otello’

  Leave it to Arrigo Boito to screw up a nearly ideal situation. He and Verdi, the dean of Italian opera composers, had come together to form a cautious if... Read more

  Posted on 05 April 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Redemption for the Met: ‘La Fanciulla Del West’ Returns With a Bang!

  The Metropolitan Opera transmitted Puccini's La Fanciulla del West over the airwaves via a Live in HD telecast on October 27, 2018, and the regular Saturday... Read more

  Posted on 24 March 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• A Cloak, a Convent, and a Conman: Puccini’s ‘Il Trittico’ Celebrates 100 Years a...

  A later transmission, on December 22, showcased the same composer's La Fanciulla del West, the only bona fide Italian spaghetti Western in the entire standard... Read more

  Posted on 09 March 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Epilogue: What’s in Store for Brazil’s Fat Lady? (Part Two)

  Despite the surfeit of first-rate material, written and performed by artists of the front ranks, Brazilians still need, in this author's view, to face up to an... Read more

  Posted on 16 February 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Epilogue: What’s in Store for Brazil’s Fat Lady? (Part One)

  When I began the writing of my book Brazil's Fat Lady Can't Sing, But She Can Still Do the Bossa Nova, my enthusiasm for opera and, if I may be all inclusive,... Read more

  Posted on 10 February 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Flames Over Rio 2016 (Part Eight) — Conclusion: Living the Reality-TV Life

  Daedalus hit upon a bold scheme. While Icarus lounged lazily about the prison, Daedalus put himself to work on threading bird feathers together and binding... Read more

  Posted on 27 January 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Flames Over Rio 2016 (Part Seven): Ryan Lochte Fakes a Dive

  Most Olympic stories begin at the bottom and end at the top. As trite as that may sound, the vast majority of sports columnists love to record the exploits of... Read more

  Posted on 12 January 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• ‘Hail, Lord of Heaven’: The Met Opera 2018-2019 Broadcast Season Opens with...

  That was my main take-away from the Metropolitan Opera's first Saturday radio broadcast of the season, on December 1, 2018, of Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele. The... Read more

  Posted on 05 January 2019 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• ‘Star Wars,’ the Original Series (Part Seven): ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ Episod...

  The Millennium Falcon follows the garbage to freedom (along with the unseen bounty hunter, Boba Fett, hot on its intergalactic trail). Meanwhile, Luke is doing... Read more

  Posted on 02 December 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• ‘When the Legend Becomes Fact’ — Hollywood and the Historical Film (Part Five):...

  We come now to the final phase of the movie JFK, which involves the trial of New Orleans businessman Clay Shaw (aka Clay Bertrand) vs. the State of Louisiana.... Read more

  Posted on 22 November 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Flames Over Rio 2016 (Part Six): The Thrill of Victory, the Agony of the Feat

  The cauldron that housed the Rio 2016 Olympic flame was also of modest degree and scope. However, to heighten the impact in a way that all eyes would be drawn t... Read more

  Posted on 11 November 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• ‘Children of the Night’ — Celluloid Creatures and Other Movie Monsters (Part...

  From that notorious June 1816 gathering at Lord Byron's Villa Diodati off Lake Geneva came one of the most elaborate, incontrovertibly ground-breaking horror... Read more

  Posted on 04 November 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Caetano Veloso: Dark Times Are Coming for My Country

  Brazil's presidential runoff election is being held on Sunday, October 28. As a consequence of this historic event, today's guest contributor, composer,... Read more

  Posted on 28 October 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• ‘Mefistofele’ — ‘Ecco Il Mondo’: The Devil’s in the Details of Boito’s Opera, Ac...

  Was this the face that launch'd a thousand ships, And burnt the topless towers of Ilium- Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.- [Faust kisses her] Her lip... Read more

  Posted on 21 October 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• ‘They’re BAAAACK!’ — The Return of the Met Opera Saturday Broadcasts

  Yes, they're back. And it's about time, too! So what does the Met Opera radio and/or Live in HD series have in store for us fans? Anything in the way of bold... Read more

  Posted on 09 October 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Street Life: The Politically Incorrect World of Ralph Bakshi

  For those who grew up in the inner cities - and by that, I mean the worst parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, to encompass the streets of... Read more

  Posted on 30 September 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• An Artist’s Life for Me — Ten Motion Pictures That Ask the Question: ‘Does Life...

  The troubled artist and the work he or she produces, or attempts to produce, are favorite themes of motion pictures devoted to their lives and loves, and to... Read more

  Posted on 08 September 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Flames Over Rio 2016 (Part Five): The Olympic Light Burns Twice as Bright

  Oh, but wait! Who's that big guy carrying the Olympic flag? That's Sestão! Sestão? Who the hell is Sestão? Why, it's Oscar! Oscar Schmidt. No... Read more

  Posted on 02 September 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• An Artist’s Life for Me — Ten Motion Pictures That Ask the Question: ‘Does Life...

  Artists and their works .... These have been much on our mind of late. In fact, how often have we heard the phrase "Artists are such temperamental creatures?"... Read more

  Posted on 19 August 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• Welcome to Cosmos Country: Soccer Memories from Derek McLean

  Today's guest contributor is former footballer Derek McLean. A native of Liverpool, England, Derek began his "football" (or, as we know it, "soccer") career at... Read more

  Posted on 11 August 2018 CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA