New Year's Eve at the Met

[+ WilliamM]

Anna Netrebko in three Puccini operas fully staged. I believe Act One from La Boheme: Act Two from Tosca; Act Three from Turandot.

[sydneyboy]

Sounds wonderful.

[sydneyboy]

I love the last act of ''Turandot''.

[bostonman]

I'd much rather it be one opera fully staged, Netrebko or not. And in fact, I'd much much rather the evening wasn't such an overtly blatant vanity-style tribute to a known Putin supporter. Nothing to celebrate there. There are plenty of other sopranos who could have sung any of the proposed roles here.

 

But, it could have been worse - it could be another Jeremy Sams debacle (c.f. those horrible productions of Fledermaus and The Merry Widow, etc.)

[TruHart1]

Back in the 1940's, 50's & 60's the MET Opera seemed to have galas such as this upcoming New Year's Eve Netrebko Gala on a more regular basis. I especially remember amazing Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti Galas in the 1960's & 1970's!

 

TruHart1

[+ g56whiz]

Three different acts from three Puccini operas? A fate worse than death!!!

[edjames]

I'll be across the plaza at the NYPhil's tribute to Sondheim on NYE.

[+ WilliamM]

Back in the 1940's, 50's & 60's the MET Opera seemed to have galas such as this upcoming New Year's Eve Netrebko Gala on a more regular basis. I especially remember amazing Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti Galas in the 1960's & 1970's!

 

TruHart1

 

So did Broadway in the 1980s with "Our Hearts Belong to Mary." Mary Martin

[+ g56whiz]

As a banker the day of NYE could be a horror story. Companies calling up at the last minute to move money for balance sheet window dressing. The year the tax code changed my last closing ended at 8:30 and the title guy had three more yet to close before midnight. NYE is amateur hour. Now I’m usually in bed before the end of PBS Newshour hopping i can sleep thru the fireworks. It’s my annual bah humbug moment.

[bostonman]

So did Broadway in the 1980s with "Our Hearts Belong to Mary." Mary Martin

 

But, to clarify, that was a very different kind of event. It wasn't a New Years' Eve gala, nor did Martin perform extensively. Not the same at all.

[bostonman]

As a banker the day of NYE could be a horror story. Companies calling up at the last minute to move money for balance sheet window dressing. The year the tax code changed my last closing ended at 8:30 and the title guy had three more yet to close before midnight. NYE is amateur hour. Now I’m usually in bed before the end of PBS Newshour hopping i can sleep thru the fireworks. It’s my annual bah humbug moment.

 

As a musician, New Years Eve gigs can be quite lucrative, so I grab one when I can. But it also can be a very hectic night, so it's a double edged sword. Sometimes indeed I'm very happy just having a quiet night listening to the Met gala on the radio lol.

[+ WilliamM]

But, to clarify, that was a very different kind of event. It wasn't a New Years' Eve gala, nor did Martin perform extensively. Not the same at all.

 

Martin sang about ten songs and also sang with her daughter, Heller, on Porter's song "True Love." And with Nancy Reagan on "Mountain High, Valley Low." Some years before, Martin and Ethel Merman performed a full concert for charity, entitled "Together on Broadway." There's a recording on concert.

 

I saw "Our Hearts Belong to Mary." So once again you are arguing with someone who was actually there in 1985.

[bostonman]

So once again you are arguing

 

The problem is that you always accuse me of "arguing." I've had enough of that. Sorry to say.

[+ WilliamM]

The problem is that you always accuse me of "arguing." I've had enough of that. Sorry to say.

 

What else can you call it when you "correct" me when I was actually there?

 

Also, it was the only time I saw Lillian Gish, Dorothy Hammerstein, Josh Logan, Maria von Trapp, Robert Preston, Helen Hayes, George Abbott and Van Johnson on stage.

Edited October 28, 2019 by WilliamM