Opera and Opry

The Fat Lady Sang

Or
Rigor Fortissimo
(Props to Monty)

Or
Finale
(Further kudos for Monty)
Sarah Caldwell, the opera producer woman who paired Beverly Sills with a mechanical singing bird, has died of heart failure at the age of 82. Caldwell developed a reputation as the first lady of opera for emphasizing the dramatic elements of opera, for including stunning visual effects and for producing complete versions of rarely performed operas. All this while trying to cope with a country whose idea of opera is Bugs Bunny in the arms of Elmer Fudd wearing a Viking helmet. Five-foot-three, in excess of 300 pounds, the hard-working Caldwell would keep crews working around the clock to achieve her vision, and spent all day fighting off creditors as her company slowly went baroque. Raised in opera hotbed Fayetteville, Arkansas, Caldwell made Boston her bass of operations, studying at the Boston Conservatory then teaching at the Berkshire Music Center from 1948 to 1952. From 1952 to 1960, she headed the Opera Workshop Department at Boston University. She then founded of the Opera Company of Boston and was the first woman to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. In 1983, she became artistic director of the New Opera Company of Israel, highlighted by the Diva Sits Shiva tour.

Monty’s Italian Whine was the only team Gudonov to have Caldwell, and with his second hit in a week moves into 4th place. Monty now holds down 40% of the leaderboard:

The Leaderboard
1st Jennifer 3 hits, 13.52380953 points
2nd Paul - Pushing Daisies 2 hits, 30 points
tie Shawn - Team Three – Old 2 hits, 30 points
4th Monty - Italian Whine 2 hits, 26.66666667 points
5th Monty - Comedy of Terrors 2 hits, 22.85714286 points

Dinosaur victrola, list’ning to Buck Owens
Looking out my hearse’s back door

Or
Sent off to the cornfield
(Laudatories for Craig)

Or
Buck Pwn3d
(Cap tip to Joe)

Or
Pfft! You're Gone
(More honorifics for Joe)
Buck Owens, the flashy "rhinestone cowboy" who shaped the sound of country music looks naturally as he died at the age of 76. Owens put his signature honky tonk twang on more than 20 No. 1 records in the 1960s and 1970s. Hits included "Together Again," "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail," "Love's Gonna Live Here," "My Heart Skips a Beat" and "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line." He’s also the only country singer to be covered by The Beatles, who recorded his “Act Naturally,” in 1965. He also brought a sly wit to his role as co-host of Hee Haw. As sly as haystack puns and signing donkeys get.