Opera Chic

Claudio Abbado's Big Heart

Next week, Claudio Abbado and Orchestra Mozart go to Ravenna to play a Mozart/Beethoven concert for the 22nd edition of the city's classical music festival. Such a unique event sold out quickly and Ravenna's now opening the doors to a Monday, June 6 rehearsal at Ravenna's Palazzo Mauro de André for free (doors open at 6:00pm). You only have to sign up and present a "Facebook Fan Festival Card" that you can get here.

Simon Russell Beale's "Complete Smiley": Pure BBC-made John Le Carré Awesomeness

If you, like Opera Chic, think that Simon Russell Beale, CBE, is probably the greatest actor working today, you might want to look into this AmazonUK 39% discount off of SRB's "Complete George Smiley Radio Dramas" where he gives life to that memorable creation by the master himself, John LeCarré (it's 27% off on Amazon.com)

Aida in Masada

Scenes from the dress rehearsal of Verdi's "Aida" in Masada, Israel. The opera, conducted by Daniel Oren, will be performed during the Opera Festival opening tonight.

The Ground Beneath Her Feet: Francesca Schiavone Moves To Second Roland Garros Final In A Row

Defending champ Schiavone in French Open final:

After winning, Schiavone rubbed her hand in the clay and kissed it

Schiavone is, after all, our Walkure.

David Garrett Smells Like Teen Spirit & Erwin Schrott's Last Tango in Verona

What's going on with all these Nirvana tributes? In April, all hell broke loose in Ecuador when teen poptart Miley Cyrus covered Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit and die-hard Nirvana fans simultaneously imploded, mocking the former Disney starlet for daring to honor the legendary Gawd of Alternative Music, Cyrus being only 2-years-old when Cobain took his life (or was it Courtney Love Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the lead pipe?)

Earlier that month, American musician/actor Jared Leto posted his Pennyroyal Tea/Rape Me Nirvana tribute on the 17th anniversary of Cobain's death, although it was quickly uncovered to be a desperate audition tape for a rumored, upcoming Nirvana bio-pic.

Now classical music steps up with David Garrett's on-trend tribute. Last night in Verona at the world-famous Arena, the German alterna-violinist covered Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for a populist concert to celebrate the arrival of the arena's 89th opera season which opens on June 17th with La Traviata. Garrett was joined by Uruguayan bass baritone Erwin Schrott who belted out Pablo Ziegler's sultry-sexy tango piece, Rojotango, in company of crusty Italian singer Zucchero who sang "Miserere" dedicated to Luciano Pavarotti.

Now we're just waitng patiently for Roberto Alagna to cover Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun.