Opera stars know that biology is destiny. Sometime in their 50s or early 60s, the powerful, flexible and ultimately mysterious read more

Opera stars know that biology is destiny. Sometime in their 50s or early 60s, the powerful, flexible and ultimately mysterious instrument that has been the source of their artistry frays, cracks and disappears.

Give me a laundry-list and I'll set it to music.

Give me a laundry-list and I'll set it to music.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as
his eyes unto heaven, but smote read more

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as
his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner.

I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes. What read more

I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes. What matters is not what I think of him; it is what he thinks of himself. To undermine a man's self-respect is a sin.

Young Timothy
Learnt sin to fly.

Young Timothy
Learnt sin to fly.

Indulgent gods, grant me to sin once with impunity. That is
sufficient. Let a second offence bear its punishment.
read more

Indulgent gods, grant me to sin once with impunity. That is
sufficient. Let a second offence bear its punishment.
[Lat., Di faciles, peccasse semel concedite tuto:
Id satis est. Peonam culpa secunda ferat.]

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the read more

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity

Opera: the graveyard of melody

Opera: the graveyard of melody