Yesterday, the radio opera was Mozart’s “Idomeneo” from 1986, chosen by Joyce Di Donato because of Frederica von Stade. I have a von Stade story from many years ago which appeared in Cat Fancy magazine, submitted by a vocal coach about the first time von Stade (“Flicka”) came to learn from her. At one point the coach’s cat threw up o Flicka’s foot. The coach thought she’d lost a student forever. But Flicka just deadpanned, “I hope it wasn’t my singing,” and stayed with the coach. She is a class act in every way.\u00a0 It’s interesting to me (if no one else) that every time an “Artist’s Choice” is picked by someone I really like, that their choice is based on someone in a previous generation I also really, really like.<\/p>\n
I would call this “mixed”<\/a> rather than “good.” But for decades we have been thinking “doomed,” and “mixed” is definitely an improvement over that.<\/p>\n Now this is sportsmanship<\/a>. This is how sports are supposed to work (and sadly often don’t.)<\/p>\n It’s always good news when someone gets to live his or her dream<\/a>. And it’s always especially good when it’s a child, and particularly a child who’s experienced an illness that no one, and especially no child, should have to cope with.<\/p>\n