Mitch Friedfeld writes:

>The program notes said that Baby Doe was one of the three most significant
>American operas, with Porgy and Bess and I can't remember the third.  My
>program notes seem to have disappeared; you'd think I'd know the third but
>I've forgotten.  Anyway, listmembers who are interested in tonal but
>different opera with a lot of catchy tunes will like Baby Doe, I'm sure.

Having been lucky enough to catch the London production a year or two
back, I heartily concur.  "Baby Doe" is surely amongst the best of American
operas, and to be frank in quite a different league from Gershwin's rickety
old chestnut.

Latouche's libretto for "Baby Doe" is excellent in every way, subtle
and yet direct; and Douglas Moore rose to the challenge with apposite
theatricality.  It's not all great music, but it is certainly a great
opera.

Christopher Webber,  Blackheath, London,  UK.
http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/zarzuela.htm
"ZARZUELA!"