Blog | divamensch

Diva / Mensch pair for 5/1/19

The theme for May: two recordings of the same song, done in very different styles. My homepage will have the Diva and Mensch posted in...

ladiesvoices

May 1, 20191 min read

CDA: Jo Sullivan Loesser and John Singleton

Jo Sullivan Loesser is best known as being the wife of Frank Loesser, who wrote the music and lyrics for *Guys and Dolls* and *The Most...

ladiesvoices

Apr 30, 20191 min read

Lady in the Dark, 4/25/19

I saw *Lady in the Dark* at City Center on 4/25/19. It's a musical from 1941 with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a...

ladiesvoices

Apr 29, 20193 min read

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, ep 7

Isn’t it nice seeing the designers hanging out in the apartment, making breakfast together, supporting each other, enjoying themselves? ...

ladiesvoices

Apr 28, 20192 min read

Fabulous Friday: "Night and Day"

I have one brief follow-up to our *Stardust Melodies* tribute. I deliberately didn't repeat an artist over the course of those weeks,...

ladiesvoices

Apr 26, 20191 min read

Hillary and Clinton, 4/23/19

I saw *Hillary and Clinton* on Broadway on 4/23/19. It's a new play by Lucas Hnath, who wrote the extraordinary *A Doll's House Part 2.*...

ladiesvoices

Apr 25, 20193 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 4/24/19

I'm closing out the sibling theme with a classic of the genre: Diva: Joe Hardy Mensch: Frank Hardy

ladiesvoices

Apr 24, 20191 min read

Budapest Festival Orchestra, 4/4/19 and 4/5/19

I heard two back-to-back concerts by the Budapest Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, on 4/5/19 and 4/6/19, both in all-Bartók programs...

ladiesvoices

Apr 22, 20193 min read

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, ep 6

The challenge was introduced by three female video game designers and theorists. They’re told to make a powerful female video game...

ladiesvoices

Apr 21, 20192 min read

Merce Cunningham centenary, 4/16/19

I went to a performance at BAM on 4/16/19, *Night of 100 Solos: A Centenary Event.* It was what would have been the 100th birthday of...

ladiesvoices

Apr 20, 20194 min read

Fabulous Friday: "Lush Life"

This is the last song in our *Stardust Melodies* tribute. I strongly urge you to read Will Friedwald's book, it's a fascinating read and...

ladiesvoices

Apr 19, 20191 min read

Semele, 4/14/19

I heard a semi-staged concert performance of Handel's *Semele* at Carnegie Hall on 4/14/19. I'm a big fan of Handel and was knocked out...

ladiesvoices

Apr 18, 20195 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 4/17/19

Another sibling suggestion from Diane Severson Mori: Diva: Karen Carpenter Mensch: Richard Carpenter

ladiesvoices

Apr 17, 20191 min read

ECCO, 4/15/19

I heard ECCO on 4/15/19 at Advent Lutheran Church, as part of their Music Mondays series. ECCO is the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, and...

ladiesvoices

Apr 16, 20193 min read

CDA: Georgia Engel

Wow, first Bibi Andersson and now Georgia Engel! They feel like the polar opposites of what it is to be Blonde. Georgia Engel is what I...

ladiesvoices

Apr 16, 20191 min read

CDA: Bibi Andersson

Bibi Andersson was one of the greatest actors in film history, known primarily for her work in 13 films by Ingmar Bergman. Thanks to my...

ladiesvoices

Apr 15, 20191 min read

Batsheva Dance Company, Venezuela: 3/27/19

Karen, Steve, Stephanie, and I saw the Batsheva Dance Company in *Venezuela* at BAM on 3/27/19. Karen, Steve, and I had seen them many...

ladiesvoices

Apr 15, 20192 min read

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, eps 3 to 5

Another logjam, my apologies. Things have been very busy lately plus Richard and I took a trip to London! EPISODE THREE Kovid starts...

ladiesvoices

Apr 14, 20198 min read

Fabulous Friday: "My Funny Valentine"

There are just two songs left in our tribute to *Stardust Melodies* by Will Friedwald. Today's song is "My Funny Valentine," music by...

ladiesvoices

Apr 12, 20191 min read

King Lear, 4/9/19

I saw *King Lear* with a whole crowd of friends on 4/9/19: me, Richard, Karen, Liz, David, and Renée. I had been looking forward to...

ladiesvoices

Apr 11, 20195 min read

Fabulous Friday: Aretha Franklin

I had a tribute to Wanda Jackson a few weeks ago. My brother Howard has a signed picture of her in his locker at work! I told him, "That's not Wanda Jackson, that's Lynn Redgrave in a bad wig." Bless her heart. Or in this case, rest her soul! OK now for this week's fierce rock and roll woman: the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, an American treasure. One of a kind, the world would not be the same without her. Can we all agree that this was one of the greatest moments in televi

ladiesvoices

6 hours ago1 min read

CDA: Diane Ladd

I was saddened to read in The Times about the death of actor Diane Ladd at the age of 89. She had three Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress. First for playing Flo in Alice Doesn't Live Her Anymore. She really knew how to give A Performance, just what you want in a supporting actor. Here she is off the freaking rails in Wild At Heart. And doing something more measured and understated in Rambling Rose. The Times said she and her daughter Laura Dern were the first (ma

ladiesvoices

1 day ago1 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 5/1/19

CDA: Jo Sullivan Loesser and John Singleton

*Lady in the Dark,* 4/25/19

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, ep 7

Fabulous Friday: "Night and Day"

*Hillary and Clinton,* 4/23/19

Diva / Mensch pair for 4/24/19

Budapest Festival Orchestra, 4/4/19 and 4/5/19

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, ep 6

Merce Cunningham centenary, 4/16/19

Fabulous Friday: "Lush Life"

*Semele,* 4/14/19

Diva / Mensch pair for 4/17/19

ECCO, 4/15/19

CDA: Georgia Engel

CDA: Bibi Andersson

Batsheva Dance Company, *Venezuela:* 3/27/19

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, eps 3 to 5

Fabulous Friday: "My Funny Valentine"

*King Lear,* 4/9/19

Fabulous Friday: Aretha Franklin

CDA: Diane Ladd

Lady in the Dark, 4/25/19

Hillary and Clinton, 4/23/19

Semele, 4/14/19

Batsheva Dance Company, Venezuela: 3/27/19

King Lear, 4/9/19