https://simanaitissays.com/2026/08/19/what-are-all-those-people-doing-on-the-opera-stage/Simanaitis Saysen2026-08-19T13:05:00+00:00WHAT ARE ALL THOSE PEOPLE DOING ON THE OPERA STAGE?"Chorus Lines" Rupert Christiansen Henrietta Bredin "Opera With Opera News", chorus costs are low-hanging fruit, chorus history: originally madrigal style, Handel "chorus" final number of principals (sorta Don Giovanni end), traditional chorus: prominent French lyric tragedies (descendants of Greek choruses), chorus heyday: mid 19th century, chorus traditionally not all church choir (rough-house singers), disruptive chorusters jailed en masse, intimate verismo era diminished chorus activity, 20th century Gershwin chorus populates entire Catfish Row, choruses today: "Dead Man Walking" "Akhnaten" "Satyagraha"https://simanaitissays.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/grimes.jpeg?w=150https://simanaitissays.com/2026/08/18/consequences-of-a-i-sycophancy/Simanaitis Saysen2026-08-18T13:05:00+00:00CONSEQUENCES OF A.I. SYCOPHANCYNational Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, "A Response" Cheng "et al." "Science", "Social Calibration of Sycophantic A.I." Shaoshuai Meng "Science", sycophantic A.I. cartoon Renee Zhang "Northeastern University", "Merriam-Webster" "sycophancy", "Merriam-Webster" "obsequious", "Merriam-Webster" "ass-kissing", "Sycophantic A.I. Decreases Prosocial Intentions and Promotes Dependence" Cheng et al. AAAS "Science" magazinehttps://simanaitissays.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/renee-zhang.webp?w=150