Of the three operas I heard at La Fenice last May, the one I will not forget is Bellini’s Norma. When I arrived at La Fenice, all of Venice, it seemed, had crowded into Campo San Fantin in front of the opera house. They were there to honor soprano Mariella Devia, who was singing the title …
History
Final (Perhaps) Thoughts about World War One
As we have now closed our 100th anniversary year of the end of World War I, a few additional comments seem in order. I am not any sort of beat-the-drum patriot but I somehow had the feeling back on November 11 that the commemorative events we scheduled in America seemed few and far between. Of …
After the Fact: A Personal Context for the First World War Centennial Observations
I have been intrigued about the First World War ever since I was a young man. I can’t pinpoint any particular reason for thinking this way – other than the fact that history, in general, has always been a subject of much interest to me. But somehow I got the notion that since I write …
Senator John McCain’s Memorial Service
Labor Day, 2018. In America, we are celebrating one of our national holidays today. With Labor Day, the attention often focuses more on the “holiday” side of the observance, because the day also marks the unofficial end of summer. Despite that, our Labor Day does have a serious purpose, as it was established as a …
Veterans Day 2017
During the past few years we’ve been observing the centenary of World War I, and now as we move toward the 100th anniversary of the Armistice next year, I’ll share a few thoughts. Here’s one, for example. Did you know that the holiday we now call Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day for the …
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