first sign of spring: tito, talking baseball

terry francona -- interviewed, today, on cleveland's 92.3 the fan

nice story

the last segment of hugh hewitt's hour-long interview with actor davis gaines, who was the phantom in 'phantom of the opera,' 2000 times

[music in background] HH: What a wonderful show that must have been, Davis Gaines, and thank you for coming into the studio.
DG: My pleasure.
HH: You’ve performed for 5 Presidents?
DG: I have. I’ve sung for 5 Presidents. Yes. Let’s see, the Clintons, the Fords,
HH: the Herbert Walker Bush’s?
DG: Both the Bushes.
HH: Both Bushes?
DG: And there has to one more in there, the Reagan’s.
HH: Oh, yeah. Nervous? Is that as nervous as any other night or is that—
DG: No.
HH: Kind of nervous?
DG: No, it was fun. The Bush’s were interesting because H.W. invited me to sing at Barbara Bush’s 75th surprise birthday party in Kennebunkport so I got, he brought me there and I got to do that which was an amazing experience in itself to be at her birthday and, and, ah, he invited me to the house the next morning for coffee and donuts and walking in, the first person I saw was Collin Powell, and like good job last night David.
HH: [laughing]
DG: So it was incredibly, I kept pinching myself the whole time and then, of course, George W. walks in, I was in the dining room, and he walks in and he goes, good morning Governor, how you doing? He says I’m feeling fine, feeling fine, ran for a couple hours after church. I’m feeling good. I said well, that’s great and then we talked for a while and he says is there a question, can I ask you a question? And I said, of course. And he does can you learn how to sing or is it something that you are born with? And I said well, one can learn to sing, but you have to have a little musicality, I think, but one could learn to sing. There was a long pause and he goes, I don’t know [bleep] about singing, but you probably got the best voice in America.
HH: [laughing]
DG: And I said, well, thank you so much and so we bonded there and then I looked around and all the out of town guests were gone except for me and them and so he goes, you stay for lunch and I said, oh, no, I couldn’t possibly do that. I’ve overstayed my welcome, I got to go. No, no, no. If you’re going to pick a day to eat here, this is the day because we’re having tacos. And I said, well, I love tacos, I’d love to stay, if you insisted I would love to stay, but you should go ask your mom if I can stay.  You’re right, wait right here. So, I waited in the dining room, he goes in the kitchen to ask Mrs. Bush if I could stay.
HH: [laughing hard]
DG: And he comes out and two thumbs up, you’re in.
HH: You’re in!
DG: You’re in. So, I was his little buddy all day long.
HH: Oh, what a great story and a great way to end. I’ve got to ask you one more question.
DG: Yeah.
HH: What is the physically most demanding song that you have had to sing. I asked Julie Andrews that and it was I Hate You Henry Higgins because she had to do it 8 times a week for many, many times a months.
DG: I would say the music of the Night from Phantom because you, you have to be, it has to be, everyone knows that song and you have to be so, very exposed out there, it’s just you and the orchestra and you have to be so pure and perfect.
HH: We’ll go out with that. Davis Gaines, thank you so much
DG: Thank you, Mr. Hewitt.
HH: a real treat for our audience and everyone, Laguna Beach Playhouse through August 11th. Again, go get your tickets on the website and use the promo code “Phantom” and you can thank The Hugh Hewitt show for telling you about that. We’ll be right back. Hour number 3 when we return to the Hugh Hewitt Show.

birdie num-num

as kids, we loved this movie,...especially the 'birdie num-num' line -- we'd use it, with each other

more scenes, from this movie -- had me, roaring...with laughter, yesterday

interview with sellers

tito: gotta love this guy

baseball, a la bourn

very nice interview with indians centerfielder michael bourn, on the basics of baseball -- the long haul -- the grind

kristine opolais: let's play two

what a tour de force, by kristine opolais

she sang butterfly, friday night -- her first time, singing the role at the met -- she would say,...i lived it

then unwound, had a late dinner -- goes to bed, around five

seven-thirty, the phone rings -- peter gelb's on the phone -- anita hartig's sick -- can you sing mimi, in five hours

what are you talking about -- impossible

five minutes later, she...has second thoughts -- why not

they go through the whirlwind of costumes, makeup, hair, steps, staging, all that -- bob's your uncle -- she makes her met debut as mimi

first time that's ever happened -- in met history -- 131 years -- two met debuts, in 24 hours -- more like...15 hours

she was incredible -- what a rich...and husky voice -- full...deep

great acting, too

[april 14: i just came across this detailed analysis of the show]

there was a beautiful shot of rodolfo (grigolo) and mimi (opolais), from below -- he's on the ground; she's on the upper level -- act three, just inside the paris gate -- i didn't get my camera out, to capture it -- it's just before they come together,...here

she,...and her duet with rodolfo, in that scene,...were spine-tingling

she must have had a good sleep, last night

[april 10: saw it again, this evening -- even more powerful, the second time -- maybe, because of what i've learned, since -- or...the effects of it, sinking in -- well, i thought it was one...for the ages -- she is...something else -- i'll be following her -- during the intermissions, i listened to her, on my phone, as butterfly, live from the met -- from the movie screen, i got this picture, from act three]

then, in this great interview, she says she's going to sing both soprano roles...in boito's mefistofele -- this girl...likes to play -- and...that's not enough

Often when I finish an opera I always say that I would like to sing more.

she's got some interesting takes...on magda,...tosca,...and mimi -- she likes to shake things up -- desdemona too -- and carmen

her husband says...she is...tosca

she's also going to be manon lescaut, with jonas kaufmann -- covent garden, in july -- that one...should be special -- super-special -- he's a teacher and mentor, for her -- idol, too -- will be broadcast in movie theaters

this 2008 butterfly, in covent garden, was conducted by her husband, andris nelsons

looking for a mimi clip, there's a boheme, with villazon -- wow -- i've gotta see that one

the last scene

part of 'addio, senza rancor'

soave fanciulla

here's an 'addio,'...that was added, today -- so, maybe, it's from yesterday

she's got a 'quando m'en vo' -- in concert

all right -- that's enough

now i've gotta figure out,...where i saw her, before

reading on in the interview, i think i might have seen a video of her, singing, with her husband, conducting -- he's the incoming music director of the boston symphony -- they'll open next season, together

vin scully's reflections on his life & career

another nice interview, with vin scully, from last summer -- the transcript on hugh hewitt's web-site...is truncated

radio blogger has the transcript for the whole interview

moffo, merrill, candid camera, burl ives, bjorling

in her last interview, moffo talks about her relationship with robert merrill

moffo and merrill -- 'ditte alla giovine'

then there's this great appearance by merrill,...on 'candid camera'

here, she sings 'chacun le sait, chacun le dit,' from "la fille du regiment,'...on burl ives's tv show (1964); then, with ives, 'turn around' ('where are you going, my little one')

finally, merrill -- very funny -- talking about jussi bjorling, and a recording of the quartet

for more quartet -- quartets -- including one...with bjorling

great interview with 'la bellissima'

lindsay perigo...is quite a satirist/political commentator too