Now We Are One

Today marks the first anniversary of this blog’s first public post (well, in this hemisphere, anyway), so happy birthday to us! We’ve persevered through address changes, disappearing images, and other assorted backstage dramas, but we’re still here.

We look forward to bringing you another year of news mainly about the SAA Performing Arts Roundtable, as well as items related to performing arts archives and archivists (and those who love them). And the occasional unnecessary picture of a cat.

Image credit: Glass plate negative of Louis Wain’s ‘A Christmas catastrophe : please, sir, the rat entree has escaped and eaten the turkey.’ Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog #det1994023295/PP.

 

New Seasons and Opera Notes

‘Tis the season for performing arts companies to promote their new seasons.

The Metropolitan Opera recently announced its plans for the gala opening night program of its 125th Anniversary season scheduled for March 15, 2009. As reported in today’s New York Times, “the evening will feature stars, so far unnamed, performing in costume before projected sets recreating historic moments at the Met.”

Anniversaries always bring an organization’s archives to the forefront and the Metropolitan Opera Archives can be justly proud not only of its ongoing contributions to the company’s Web site as a whole, but to the interesting resources it provides to the public on its own portion of the site. The most prominent of these tools is the MetOpera Database, but there are other riches available on the site as well. I was struck anew by this fact while reading through the Times obituary of tenor Giuseppe di Stefano, which concludes with his own musings on his career and reputation in later life: “I don’t have to go around insisting that I had one of the great voices. Fortunately, I made enough recordings to let people judge for themselves.” Those seeking instant gratification can simply click on over to the Sounds of the Met portion of the Metropolitan Opera Archives site, which makes it easy to find at least one or two samples of just about every major performer who appeared at the Met.

By sheer coincidence, I also noticed that yesterday marked the anniversary of the death of baritone Leonard Warren on stage during a performance of La Forza del Destino in 1960, arguably one of the most dramatic moments in Met history. Hopefully this won’t be one of those “historic moments” recreated in the 2009 gala.

Image credit: NYPL Digital Gallery Image ID #1558429

 

O’Neill Festival in New York

While not of strictly archival interest (though the event is being sponsored in part by the O’Neill Project of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library), we did notice a poster announcing the tenth anniversary of the O’Neill Festival when stumbling past the Provincetown Playhouse earlier this morning. New Yorkers and visitors with an iron constitution can take in ten nights of free Eugene O’Neill-related productions, readings, and screenings at the storied venue, beginning this Friday, January 4, 2008. You also might want to check out the Eugene O’Neill at Yale myspace page.

Image credit: NYPL Digital Image ID# TH-42003

 

2008 Bernstein Festival Announced

Here’s some holiday cheer for you. Yesterday it was announced that Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic will be partnering with several other organizations to present an ambitious festival late next year in commemoration of the 90th birthday of Leonard Bernstein (among other things). Dubbed, Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds, the festival will run from 24 September - 13 December 2008 and will feature 30 events (some of which will incorporate archival materials) in seven different venues in New York City.

Leonard Bernstein (with Carol Lawrence in background) instructing cast during rehearsal for West Side Story;

Image credit: NYPL Digital Image ID# psnypl_the_4936

 

Celebrate Edward Albee Now

Today’s New York Times reports on events scheduled in New York City to celebrate the upcoming 80th birthday of Edward Albee. What it does not note is that (at least) two collections of archival material relating to the playwright are available at the New York Public Library right now. The Edward Albee scripts collection is held by the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (at Lincoln Center), while the Manuscripts and Archives Division (over on 42nd Street) holds a small collection of his papers, mainly dating from the early part of his career. Always check first with the Division that is responsible for the material ahead of time. Many archival collections are stored at an offsite facility and will have to be retrieved in advance of a visit (this usually involves only a 24 hour turnaround). Happy birthday and happy research!