The new lineup includes the Met premieres of two operas written nearly three centuries apart: Handel’s Agrippina and Philip Glass’ Akhnaten.

Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen's song cycle Fugitive Songs, directed by Tony Award winner Karen Olivo, opens July 17 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's University Theatre.

Kathleen Marshall, James Naughton and Billy Stritch are among the hosts who will organize and present concerts as part of the 92nd Street Y's 2016 Lyrics & Lyricists season.

News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.

News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.

Cabaret favorite Karen Akers returns to the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room April 17 with her latest program, Simply Styne.

EVITA, MADONNA and PATTI!
Hope you caught the "Making of Evita" program on MTV June 13 (it will be replayed a few times next week as well). The star of the upcoming film of Evita, Madonna, was interviewed on location, and a few clips were shown, including very brief portions of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "A New Argentina."
Visually, Madonna looks great in the role. There is a striking resemblance between her and the real Eva Peron; however, as we all know, it's the singing and the acting that matter. It's difficult to judge from 15-second clips (which may have actually been rehearsal shots and not the finished product), but in the brief sections shown, Madonna's singing was unexpectedly undramatic. I would have thought that once the keys were lowered she would be comfortable enough to make the songs comes to life. Admittedly, clips shown out of context often don't do justice to the film or show as a whole, so let's hope that this is the case.
More interesting than the clips, however, was the fact that Madonna related that she and Patti LuPone study voice with the same teacher in New York, a woman who is also Betty Buckley's teacher. What a job--to get paid to listen to Patti and Betty sing!

EVITA, MADONNA and PATTI!
Hope you caught the "Making of Evita" program on MTV June 13 (it will be replayed a few times next week as well). The star of the upcoming film of Evita, Madonna, was interviewed on location, and a few clips were shown, including very brief portions of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "A New Argentina."
Visually, Madonna looks great in the role. There is a striking resemblance between her and the real Eva Peron; however, as we all know, it's the singing and the acting that matter. It's difficult to judge from 15-second clips (which may have actually been rehearsal shots and not the finished product), but in the brief sections shown, Madonna's singing was unexpectedly undramatic. I would have thought that once the keys were lowered she would be comfortable enough to make the songs comes to life. Admittedly, clips shown out of context often don't do justice to the film or show as a whole, so let's hope that this is the case.
More interesting than the clips, however, was the fact that Madonna related that she and Patti LuPone study voice with the same teacher in New York, a woman who is also Betty Buckley's teacher. What a job--to get paid to listen to Patti and Betty sing!

BETTY BUCKLEY
It's always a treat to speak with Betty Buckley, the woman New York Magazine recently dubbed "the voice of Broadway," and I'm happy to report that there's much happening on the BB front. In fact, the award-winning actress will release two solo albums in the next few months: The first is an all-new recording titled "Heart to Heart," a concert act she debuted this past June at a PAWS/LA benefit at U.C.L.A.'s Freud Playhouse Theatre. (PAWS is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS by empowering them to care for their beloved pets.) The studio recording will feature all songs previously unrecorded by Buckley, and it looks likely that the two tunes Ms. B sings in Camino Real will also be featured on the CD, which will be the first disk released on Buckley's new label, KO Records. You may not know that Buckley (with music director Lynn Shankel and composer John Gromada) composed the music for the second tune she sings in Camino Real, which is entitled "The Violets in the Mountain"; the first tune is titled "Bide A While," and both feature lyrics by Tennessee Williams. Boasting lyrics by Williams, "Heart to Heart" should be quite an arty and beautiful album . . . The second KO Records release is one that will excite Buckley fans who have been desperately trying to obtain a copy of her first solo recording, which was simply titled "Betty Buckley" and released on the now-defunct Rizzoli Records label. This recording -- featuring several tunes penned by Buckley herself -- may also feature bonus tracks, songs from BB's live concert at St. Bartholomew's Church in 1984 previously unreleased. So, those who already own the recording (featuring thrilling vocal work) may want to purchase it again. Stay tuned for more information on that front . . . And, there's still another recording in the works. Buckley will fly to Los Angeles to record a duet with the Grammy-winning Johnny Mathis for his forthcoming Broadway CD. Produced by Jay Landers (whose latest credit is Barbra Streisand's new release) and Broadway's Richard Jay Alexander, the recording will boast a Buckley/Mathis duet of Ragtime's "Our Children." It's another dream come true for Buckley, who while growing up adored the suave crooner's work . . . If all that weren't enough, Buckley has several concert dates lined up this month: She'll perform at the South Street Theater in Morristown, New Jersey, this weekend. Then, on October 9, Buckley will be backed by a full symphony orchestra when she tells stories through song at the Tilles Center in Greenvale, New York. That evening will feature the former Cats star dressed to the nines in an ESCADA dress for this special evening. Buckley will also be headed to Hawaii for a concert on October 12 and then a bit of a well-deserved rest. Champaign/Urbana, Illinois is the next stop on the concert tour on October 22 and 23: for a master class at the Foellinger Great Hall and a concert at the Krannert Center. The Sangamon Auditorium at the University of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois, follows on October 24, and then on the 27th Buckley will perform at an Alzheimer's Benefit at the Waldorf Astoria . . . And, of course, the multi-talented actress continues to star in the Hartford Stage Company's production of Camino Real through October 10 (a November highlight: the BRAVO documentary profiling Buckley's stellar career will air on November 1) . . . That's one busy diva!

BETTY BUCKLEY
It's always a treat to speak with Betty Buckley, the woman New York Magazine recently dubbed "the voice of Broadway," and I'm happy to report that there's much happening on the BB front. In fact, the award-winning actress will release two solo albums in the next few months: The first is an all-new recording titled "Heart to Heart," a concert act she debuted this past June at a PAWS/LA benefit at U.C.L.A.'s Freud Playhouse Theatre. (PAWS is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS by empowering them to care for their beloved pets.) The studio recording will feature all songs previously unrecorded by Buckley, and it looks likely that the two tunes Ms. B sings in Camino Real will also be featured on the CD, which will be the first disk released on Buckley's new label, KO Records. You may not know that Buckley (with music director Lynn Shankel and composer John Gromada) composed the music for the second tune she sings in Camino Real, which is entitled "The Violets in the Mountain"; the first tune is titled "Bide A While," and both feature lyrics by Tennessee Williams. Boasting lyrics by Williams, "Heart to Heart" should be quite an arty and beautiful album . . . The second KO Records release is one that will excite Buckley fans who have been desperately trying to obtain a copy of her first solo recording, which was simply titled "Betty Buckley" and released on the now-defunct Rizzoli Records label. This recording -- featuring several tunes penned by Buckley herself -- may also feature bonus tracks, songs from BB's live concert at St. Bartholomew's Church in 1984 previously unreleased. So, those who already own the recording (featuring thrilling vocal work) may want to purchase it again. Stay tuned for more information on that front . . . And, there's still another recording in the works. Buckley will fly to Los Angeles to record a duet with the Grammy-winning Johnny Mathis for his forthcoming Broadway CD. Produced by Jay Landers (whose latest credit is Barbra Streisand's new release) and Broadway's Richard Jay Alexander, the recording will boast a Buckley/Mathis duet of Ragtime's "Our Children." It's another dream come true for Buckley, who while growing up adored the suave crooner's work . . . If all that weren't enough, Buckley has several concert dates lined up this month: She'll perform at the South Street Theater in Morristown, New Jersey, this weekend. Then, on October 9, Buckley will be backed by a full symphony orchestra when she tells stories through song at the Tilles Center in Greenvale, New York. That evening will feature the former Cats star dressed to the nines in an ESCADA dress for this special evening. Buckley will also be headed to Hawaii for a concert on October 12 and then a bit of a well-deserved rest. Champaign/Urbana, Illinois is the next stop on the concert tour on October 22 and 23: for a master class at the Foellinger Great Hall and a concert at the Krannert Center. The Sangamon Auditorium at the University of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois, follows on October 24, and then on the 27th Buckley will perform at an Alzheimer's Benefit at the Waldorf Astoria . . . And, of course, the multi-talented actress continues to star in the Hartford Stage Company's production of Camino Real through October 10 (a November highlight: the BRAVO documentary profiling Buckley's stellar career will air on November 1) . . . That's one busy diva!

Karen Akers, who starred in the original Broadway productions of Nine and Grand Hotel, will return to the fabled Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel in 2008.

The 1999-2000 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical has gone to Karen Ziemba (Contact).

Laura Benanti, in Swing!
Benanti, whose suggestive duet with a trombone is one of the most memorable moments in Swing!, made her Broadway splash understudying and eventually replacing 2000 Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker in the recent revival of The Sound of Music. She's been a workshop staple since, singing Julia in Time and Again, Esmeralda in Disney's Hunchback and City of Dreams . Her triumph as Eileen in the Encores! revival of Wonderful Town may be her next big Broadway role, if the production moves to Broadway as is hoped.

Laura Benanti, in Swing!
Benanti, whose suggestive duet with a trombone is one of the most memorable moments in Swing!, made her Broadway splash understudying and eventually replacing 2000 Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker in the recent revival of The Sound of Music. She's been a workshop staple since, singing Julia in Time and Again, Esmeralda in Disney's Hunchback and City of Dreams . Her triumph as Eileen in the Encores! revival of Wonderful Town may be her next big Broadway role, if the production moves to Broadway as is hoped.

This week we chat with the multi-talented women who have been nominated for a 2007 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.

This week we chat with the multi-talented women who have been nominated for a 2007 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.

The Wit and Wisdom of the 70's, a new cabaret show created by and featuring MAC Award-winning cabaret artist Karen Mack and pop music's Michael Holland, makes its New York debut Oct. 25 at Don't Tell Mama.