May 25 - Beverly Sills (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 25th may be found here: Beverly Sills (2019), Hal David (2020), Moritz of Hesse-Kassel (2021). and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson; Johann Baptist Singenberger (2022)

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Beverly Sills (25 May 1929 – 2 July 2007) was one of the dominant sopranos of her time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bubbles

 

Sills was born Belle Miriam Silverman - Wikipedia 

Belle Miriam Silverman cleverly

Decided that she would be Beverly,

Which she paired with the moniker Sills

When deciding to market her skills.

 

 

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May 24 - Bob Dylan (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 24th may be found here: Bob Dylan (2019),  Patti LaBelle (2020), Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach (2021), and Bob Dylan (2022)

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Bob Dylan (b. 24 May 1941) is an important and influential American singer-songwriter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forever Young

The casting of a bio-flick

Can be a risky sort of trick

Because no matter whom you pick

Impersonations don’t quite click.

Of Chalamet, we must admit, he

May be a just a bit too pretty

To play young Dylan in the City,

(And can his voice be made that gritty?)

At yet, I guess, it’s fair to say

That Dylan, in his Sixties way,

Was rather fetching in his day,

So take your shot young Timothée.

 

 

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May 23 - Jean Françaix (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 23rd may be found here: Robert Moog (2019), Artie Shaw (2020), Alicia de Larrocha; Johann Bernhard Bach (2022), and Rosemary Clooney (2022)

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Jean Françaix (23 May 1912 – 25 September 1997) was a French composer and pianist  known for his prolific output and vibrant style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A la Française

Take a moment on this day

And pop a cork for Jean Françaix!

In all his works, (and there’s a bevy),

There is not a note that’s heavy, 

No furrowed brow, no squall, no fright.

For some it is a little light.

Envoi

Beef is wholesome in its way,

But sometimes we prefer soufflé,

And that’s the time for Jean Françaix!

 

 

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May 22 - Richard Wagner (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Limericks re-telling the plots of the Ring operas may be found here: Ring (2019).  Limericks re-telling the plots of the canonical non-Ring opera may be found here: non-Ring (2020). Additional limericks on Wagner are here: Wagner (2021). A post on Morrissey is here.

 

Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) revolutionized opera in the last half of the nineteenth century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patience Is a Virtue

The timid may think that it’s wrong

When an opera is five hours long,

But sanctioning cuts

Would be totally nuts,

So tighten your belt and be strong.

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The Old Wooden House

The public that comes to engage

With Bayreuth’s Wagnerian stage

Is glad to spend hours

Entranced by the powers

Of their long-winded musical Sage.

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Story Time

Teutonic foundational glories,

For Wagner, were infinite quarries

Of tales with potential

To be consequential

When told as Gesamtkunstwerk stories.

 

 

 

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May 21 - Fats Waller (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 21st may be found here: Fats Waller (2019), Maurice André (2020), Heinz Holliger (2021), and Fats Waller (2022)

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Fats Waller (21 May 1904 – 15 December 1943) was an innovative and virtuosic jazz pianist and composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Within Reach

Fats Waller, with well-founded pride,

Could boast of his prowess in stride.

His far-distant bass notes

Were always-in-place notes,

No matter how wide the divide.

 

 

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May 20 - Cher (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 20th may be read here: Felix Arndt (2019), Cher (2020), Cher (2021), and Beniamino Gigli (2022)

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Cher (b. 20 May 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turning Back Time

Forget about your cares more weighty –

Cher is now three years from eighty!

But though she has the look of youth,

I fear that this not the truth, –

 

For she's had work (as we all know) done 

And Time and Tide will wait for no one, 

 

 

 

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