Music: The Squared Ring

Operas abound in fights of all kinds, and always have. There is a sword-fight in Tristan, a bullfight in Carmen, a dagger-fight in Cavalleria Rusticana, a gunfight in The Girl of the Golden West, a Chinese axe-fight in L'Oracolo, not to mention word-fights of staggering intensity, especially when a prima-donna screams in Italian and a baritone roars his defy in French.

But a real prizefight has not yet been enacted on any American, French, German or Italian lyric stage. Except for a few halfhearted, ineffectual wrestling-passes, no U. S. operagoer has seen even a...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!