The Metropolitan Opera would be able to cut the fees of its highest-paid individual singers by 12.7% under a pending four-year contract with the American Guild of Musical Artists.
Since there is a type of musical composition named for studying — études, for you non French-speakers — we have the perfect musical accompaniment while you hit the books.
When this particular phone call came, it was usually trouble. What often followed was something like “I don't believe there’s a ‘cough’ in Prokofiev. Love you madly! Goodnight.” Norman Pellegrini, WFMT’s illustrious program director of 43 years, was always listening — vigilant, protective of the station’s values, always blunt in his criticism, and usually right.
"Mostly when you sing in the opera house you have this wall of sound in front of you and the only thing is to go and sing as loud as you can, and this is not making music," she said. "It's 80 against one, and you will never win."
