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THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE Vermeer was a blockbuster at Washington's National Gallery in 1996. But for many art lovers, the true Dutch master is Vincent van Gogh. The largest exhibition of his works to appear outside the Netherlands in 25 years opens at the gallery Oct. 4.
Visitors expected: Up to 500,000 Advance reservations: Nearly gone by last week Notable features: Three works never seen in the U.S. Souvenirs: Everything but his ear
RENEE FLEMING A Streetcar Named Desire
Why: Andre Previn has conducted symphony orchestras throughout the world, composed scores for Broadway (Coco) and Hollywood (Bad Day at Black Rock) and even written a dryly witty autobiography (No Minor Chords: My Days in Hollywood). Now he's finally got around to his first opera, a three-hour-long adaptation of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, commissioned by the San Francisco Opera. Previn, who turned 69 in April, knows he's leading with his chin--nearly all the great opera composers of the past got started in their 20s or 30s--so he has taken out a classy piece of flop insurance: superstar soprano Renee Fleming is singing the role of Blanche Dubois. "Of course it's inhibiting to make an opera out of so famous a play," he says, "but even if you don't like what I've written, I think it's safe to say you'll love Renee." When: The premiere is Sept. 19.
LITERARY LIBRETTOS Tennessee Williams isn't the only writer who will be appearing at the opera this season:
MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA Eugene O'Neill's spin on the Greek myth turns up at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Oct. 6.
ERIC HERMANNSON'S SOUL A story by Nebraska-bred Willa Cather inspires an Opera Omaha production debuting Nov. 11.
OF MICE AND MEN George and Lennie sing when New York City Opera's rendition of John Steinbeck's novella opens Nov. 7.
TERRENCE MCNALLY Corpus Christi
Why: Serious drama has a hard time getting much attention these days, but one sure way, it turns out, is to have some religious conservatives make a stink about it beforehand. McNally's new play concerns a gay Christlike figure who has sex with his apostles. The plot outline alone was enough to draw criticism and even death threats against the author and the Manhattan Theatre Club, which plans to stage the play this fall. Citing security concerns, the theater abruptly canceled the production in May; then, after a barrage of bad publicity and cries of censorship, reversed itself and said the show would go on after all. Which means McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion!; Master Class; the book for Ragtime) in all likelihood has a hit on his hands. And maybe even, once the political posturing is cleared away, an intriguing new play. When: Opens Oct. 13 at the City Center in Manhattan.
ORIGINAL MUSICALS In the wake of The Lion King and Ragtime, they're enjoying boom times. And not just on Broadway.
THE CIVIL WAR Composer Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde) musicalizes the epic struggle in a show making its debut this month in Houston.
PARADE Is a 1915 lynching fit material for a musical? Writer Alfred Uhry and director Harold Prince think so. Previews begin in November.
ELABORATE LIVES: THE LEGEND OF AIDA Another elaborate gamble is Disney's remake of the opera, with music by Elton John, opening Oct. 7 in Atlanta.