Divamensch

I just read in The Times about the death of the Romanian soprano Ileana Cotrubas (age 87). She had retired by the time I started going to the opera but I know a bit of her work from recordings and telecasts. Here she is in one of her signature roles, as Mimi in La Bohème. She was known for playing fragile, wounded characters. There was something sincere and heartbreaking about her performances. Or so I've heard. There was a funny story in The Times obit about La Bohème. They

Oh was there drama at the Tonys in 1984! The two shows leading the pack for Best Musical were La Cage aux Folles and Sunday in the Park with George. Diva: La Cage Mensch: Sunday La Cage is a splashy musical about a drag queen and his partner trying to put one over on their son's prospective in-laws. You've seen The Birdcage, it's the same story. Lots of feathers and sequins, I doubt any show with such heaping portions of those could be mistaken for a Mensch. It won the Tony.