[lit-ideas] Re: Operatic Itinerary in New York
- From: Mike Geary <jejunejesuit.geary2@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:59:44 -0500
I would love to be able to help you with this, but I'm just too busy for the
30 years.
Best,
Mike Geary
On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 5:51 PM, <jlsperanza@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> I would love in Yost (or others) would help me trace an operatic itineary
> in New York. I would start off with Lincoln Center. The Metropolitan Opera
> House (opened with Barber´s "Anthony and Cleopatra", but my focus will be
> Italian opera, in 1966. The builiding was built by an architect called
> Harrison.
>
> Don´t miss the New York City Opera (the Koch Hall -- I´m relying on memory
> as I write this, and in a rush, so avoid inadequacies). This opened in 1966,
> also, with Ginastera´s opera with Domenica (Domingo) as tenor.
>
> Now you´ll need a taxi. The next destination is the OLD building of the
> Met, which was on Broadway, between 39th and 40th S. It was demolished in
> 1967. It had opened in 1883 when the ¨nouveau riche" (Vanderbilt, Morgan,
> Astor, and a few others) built a competition to the Irving Place opera
> house. This had opened with Fausto by Gounod and Campanini as "prim´uomo"
> (Salve, demora, casta, e pura") in 1883, as I say.
>
> Next you´ll need to see the Irving Place opera house, which the Met was
> meant as competition for. This had opened in the 1850s, with Rossini´s
> "Seminaride". With the competition of the Met, it was forced to close in
> 1888 (the opera season).
>
> But the Irving Place opera house was meant to replace the Astor Place opera
> house, which was the tops. But a riot had disgrace it in the 1840s, and the
> building was razed. A taxi trip to the place is worth the fare, though.
>
> Then you´ll need to locate the very first Italian opera house in New York,
> when Da Ponte built it in 1833. He had collaborated with Mozart.
>
> Other venues, and othe taxi fares, will include "Studio 54". This was known
> as Fortunato Gallo Opera House. Built by an Italian immigrant to the States
> (he died in the 1970s). It housed the San Carlo Opera Company.
>
> While there, pay a visit to the ORIGINAL NYC Opera building, which was on
> 55th Street, too.
>
> And don´t forget the Manhattan Opera House, on 34th Street. This had been
> built by Hammestein, and was pretty good. Great names sang there
> (Tetrazzini, for example). The Met people approached Hammerstein´s son and
> forced him to sign a document that specified that upon receiving a great sum
> (of money) he would NOT stage any operas there.
>
> There may be other details I´m missing. But I´ll continue with the
> research. Etc.
>
> Speranza
> ----- The Swimming-Pool Library
> --------- Villa Speranza
>
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