Impromptus today is the usual mishmash, featuring Mussolini, Trump, Chris Sale (baseball pitcher), Pavarotti (late tenor), Admiral Byrd (went where it’s cold), and more. The column ends with my favorite national-anthem singer of the year.
Speaking of singers, Angela Gheorghiu is in my lineup as well. I link her to Chris Sale, somehow. I’d like to say another word about her here, on the Corner.
She is a Romanian soprano, and one of the great temperamental divas. She has added richly to the lore — story upon story.
A few years ago, I had a tête-à-tête with her at the Champagne Bar in the Plaza Hotel. (Forgive the boast, but you can understand why it’s fun to type such a line.) The resulting piece is here. Let me share a little something from it.
I asked La Gheorghiu about one of my favorite stories: Did she really demand hair and makeup for a radio interview? No, she said. There was a photo-shoot the same day as the radio interview. And that’s why she had to have hair and makeup.
“Too bad,” I said. “It’s such a good story.” “Yes,” she agreed. I think we were both a little gloomy. Then she said, brightly, “But I have lots of others!”
I wish you could have seen her face and heard her voice. Fantastic.
Angela Gheorghiu, on the Record