Dr. Bob Prescribes Ludwig van Beethoven – Fidelio
May
24th,
2022
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1727) in 1805, the year Leonore (later Fidelio) was first performed In referring to Fidelio as Beethoven’s only opera, we often overlook the fact that for all its preliminary versions it was also his first opera. As such, it has been pointed out that Fidelio, which Beethoven began composing when he was…
Dr. Bob Prescribes Giuseppe Verdi – Rigoletto
May
23rd,
2022
Giuseppe Verdi and Teatro la Fenice The Teatro la Fenice; façade Yesterday’s Music History Monday post – entitled “The Phoenix Rises” was about Venice’s fabled opera house, the Teatro la Fenice, “The Phoenix Theater.” Among the many operatic premieres that the Fenice has seen on its boards are five – count ‘em, five – by…
Music History Monday: Beethoven and the Human Voice
May
23rd,
2022
Beethoven in 1812, from a life mask made by the sculptor Franz Klein We mark the premiere on May 23, 1814 – 208 years ago today – of Ludwig van Beethoven’s one-and-only opera, Fidelio, at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna. While Beethoven (1770-1827) had composed two preliminary versions of the opera, which had been performed…
Music History Monday: The Phoenix Rises!
May
16th,
2022
The interior of the Teatro la Fenice in 2015 We mark the opening on May 16, 1792 – 230 years ago today – of Venice’s principal opera house, the Teatro la Fenice, meaning the “The Phoenix Theater.” Excepting, perhaps, the magnificent phallus that is the Washington Monument, dedicated as it is to “The Father of…
Join me on Klatch on May 18, 2022
May
11th,
2022
I have joined up with a wonderful new operation called “Klatch,” which means, literally, “a gathering characterized usually by informal conversation.” Klatch’s mission statement: “Klatch is an all-in-one platform for live, highly interactive workshops across every topic. Our Facilitators are building unique communities for curious, life-long learners who are interested in taking up a new…
Dr. Bob Prescribes El Amor Brujo
May
10th,
2022
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946), circa 1925 This is the third of three posts celebrating the Spanish director Carlos Saura’s spectacular “Flamenco Trilogy”, his set of three movies in which the stories are told primarily through flamenco music and dance. My Dr. Bob Prescribes post for March 7 of this year addressed the first of these…
Music History Monday: Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll
May
9th,
2022
Richard Wayne Penniman (1932-2020) in 1972 We mark the death on May 9, 2020 – just two years ago today – of the American musician, singer, and songwriter Richard Wayne Penniman, known universally by his stage name of “Little Richard.” Born on December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, he died at his home in Tullahoma,…
Dr. Bob Prescribes Thomas “Fats” Waller: “Ain’t Misbehavin”
May
3rd,
2022
Ain’t Misbehavin’ original Broadway cast, left-to-right: Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, Charlaine Woodward, Andre DeShields, and Nell Carter Original Broadway cast performance, directed by Richard Maltby, Jr., broadcast on NBC-TV on June 12, 1982: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE8_MxJCsqg Thomas “Fats” Waller (1904-1943) in 1938 No matter the source, the word that keeps coming up in any description of Thomas…
Music History Monday: Giacomo Meyerbeer and French PopOp
May
2nd,
2022
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864), circa 1863 We mark the death on May 2, 1864 – 158 years ago today – of the German-born opera composer Jacob Liebmann Beer, also-known-as Giacomo Meyerbeer. Born in Berlin on September 5, 1791, he died in Paris during the rehearsals for the premiere of his opera L'Africaine – “The African” –…
Dr. Bob Prescribes Sal Mosca
April
26th,
2022
Salvatore (“Sal”) Joseph Mosca (1927–2007) Let’s say it upfront: Salvatore (“Sal”) Joseph Mosca (1927–2007) is the greatest jazz musician you’ve likely never heard perform. Readers of my posts have heard of Maestro Mosca, as I’ve mentioned him repeatedly as being among my favorite, best-of-the-best jazz pianists ever. But I would hazard to guess that the…