Hello, everone! We finished up early in the Music Division, around 2:30, so we decided to see if we could move our train reservatins up from 7:00 to 3 or 4. We just missed the 3:00 train but we changed tickets for the 4:00 Metroliner. I've just finished catching up on all the posts since Wednesday.
Yes, DRTomovoz, I'm very lucky with folk named Tom; my brother Tom is two years young than I, and I love him dearly. My friend Tom Murray, who's been assistign me on BABES IN TOYLAND is another lucky acquaintance, as are you and DRTCB.
DRHisaka, I've heard most of the PORGY AND BESS recordings in its musical theatre incarnations; I've never heard the Cleo Laine or Mel Torme jazz versions. While I'm fond of excerpts, PORGY is an opera and I prefer to hear it complete. My favorite is the Houston Grand Opera recording: the cast is in real character from so many performances (there's no better Maria than the late great Carol Brice), and no one conducts the piece better than the under-appreciated John de Maine. There was a broadcast of the New York City Opera's wonderful production around three years ago, and I wish that would come out on DVD. I am not a fan of Trevor Nunn's eccentricities in the Glyndebourne production on DVD.
Yes, we did make a couple of discoveries in 1903 BABES IN TOYLAND research. I have no memory of what it was I unearthed, but DRJose was able to decipher an important quote in Victor Herbert's handwriting that has eluded all of us for four years! Tom Murray discovered the name of a copyist Herbert used, Charles Gisling, who's addressed as "Mein lieber Gisling" on the first page of the Act One Finale. Oh, yes, I discovered "Reuben Glue," a parody of Victor Herbert songs with lyrics by Anne Caldwell for David Montgomery and Fred Stone (stars of the 1902 WIZARD OF OZ and THE RED MILL) to perform in Herbert's 1912 version of Cinderella, THE LADY OF THE SLIPPER.
