OperaQueen

For the cultured Gay. Art is the signature of civilization.

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Marilyn Monroe

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Spring

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Photographed by Annie Leibovitz for the October 1995 issue of Vanity Fair, this portrait of Julie Andrews celebrated her return to Broadway in Victor/Victoria, the stage adaptation of her acclaimed 1982 film. The musical featured a book by Blake Edwards, music by Henry Mancini (completed after his death with additional material by Frank Wildhorn), and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Directed by Edwards and choreographed by Rob Marshall, the production opened at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre on October 25, 1995, and ran for 734 performances and 25 previews before closing in July 1997. Critics praised Andrews’ star performance, Rob Marshall’s energetic staging, and showstoppers such as “Le Jazz Hot!”, though some reviewers found the score and book less consistently successful than the original film. The production became especially famous when Andrews declined its sole Tony Award nomination, arguing that the rest of the company had been unfairly overlooked—a gesture that generated national headlines and helped boost ticket sales.

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Clint Eastwood

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Soprano Beverly Sills delivers a definitive bel canto performance in the title role of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, presented by the New York City Opera in 1969. Performing at the company's permanent home at the Lincoln Center's New York State Theater, Sills completely transformed into the tragic, unraveling heroine. Her breathtakingly fast, agile coloratura and emotionally raw interpretation—especially during the opera's famous "Mad Scene"—captivated audiences and cemented Lucia as one of her absolute signature roles. This acclaimed, atmospheric production was brought to life under the musical direction of conductor Charles Wilson, featuring striking, evocative scenery designed by Lloyd Evans and timeless costumes by Jose Verano.

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Italy

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The dazzling, rhinestone-encrusted "M" outfit pictured here is a perfect embodiment of Mitzi Gaynor’s legendary run of annual prime-time television specials that aired between 1968 and 1978. A powerhouse of Hollywood’s golden age who famously starred in South Pacific (1958), Gaynor seamlessly transitioned her Broadway-caliber showmanship to the small screen, turning her yearly variety shows into highly anticipated musical extravaganzas filled with intricate choreography and spectacular wardrobe changes. The mastermind behind this high-glam aesthetic was the iconic costume designer Bob Mackie, who began his celebrated career crafting flexible, light-catching ensembles for Gaynor’s high-energy Las Vegas nightclub acts before bringing that same "Sultan of Sequins" magic to her television specials. Mackie’s dazzling, structural designs for Mitzi were so groundbreaking that they earned him two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Costume Design in the late 1970s. Together, Gaynor's boundless theatrical energy and Mackie's show-stopping wardrobes perfectly bridged the gap between classic cinema glamour and the bold, glittering camp of 1970s television, creating a legendary legacy that redefined variety-show entertainment.

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Leontyne Price making her Chicago Lyric Opera debut in 1959 - as Liù in Puccini's Turandot.

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A questionably "tinted" Marlene Dietrich, as "Gypsy" Lydia, in the VERY FUN FILM "Golden Earrings. 1947.

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Spring

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Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch. 20th Century Fox, 1955. Dir: Billy Wilder.

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Beverly Sills as Giulietta in Jacques Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann), New York City Opera, 1972. Directed by Tito Capobianco, with lavish Venetian costumes designed by José Varona.

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By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Lucille Ball had already cemented her status as a Hollywood legend, but she wasn’t done making television history. Premiering in September 1968 and running until March 1974, Here’s Lucy marked a brilliant new chapter for the queen of comedy. Stepping into the shoes of Lucy Carter—a trendy, frantic widow working for her brother-in-law, Lucille Ball effortlessly modernized her signature slapstick for a new generation.

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Lilacs