The Nevers

In tradition of grand opera, Dame Joan Sutherland's farewell performance to the operatic stage in Giacomo Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots is a gala triumph of spectacle, pageantry, and drama. This technically complex production captures the horror and tragedy of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, as well as the splendor and romance of 16th century France. Sutherland's glorious soprano voice is just one of the many brilliant highlights of this acclaimed performance, a revival of director Lotfi Mansouri's highly praised 1981 production. Often referred to as "The Night of the Seven Stars," Les Huguenots is a demanding production that requires the presence of seven major talents to sing the lead roles. For this reason, it is not often performed, but it is a most fitting end to the career of "La Stupenda," one of opera¹s brightest stars.

Among the exquisite pieces of glass in Robert Lehman's collection are many that exhibit the consummate skill of Venetian glassmakers and explain why Venetian glass was so coveted in Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. …