
A new production of ‘Poppea' struggles to get out of its own way
Composed in 1642, 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' was Monteverdi's final opera and remains his most popular, thanks in large part to its beautifully buoyant score, but also for its compelling cast of characters, whose dramatic depth and tragicomic range was relatively innovative for 17th-century Baroque opera.

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New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
These Are the Most Exciting Games From the Largest Tabletop Gaming Convention in America
Paverson Games Luthier, expected by September 2025, $90 Luthier is the second game from Paverson Games, the publisher of Distilled, one of our favorite strategy games. It's a worker-placement game all about making instruments during Europe's Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods. We love Distilled, and it's always exciting when a publisher hits it out of the park on the first try. But such success also puts a lot of pressure on the next release, so we're excited to see that Luthier seems to be bringing a similar attention to detail and integration of theme that we appreciate in Distilled. Throughout the game, you place your workers (keeping their value secret, in a mechanic called 'secret bidding') around the board to take different actions — building instruments, attracting wealthy patrons, putting on performances, going to market, and so on. Doing so can give you extra power, materials, and other bonuses. The higher the value of a worker you place at a location, the earlier you'll be able to take the associated action, and the more powerful that action will be. Worker placement is a popular game mechanic, and combining it with secret bidding is an interesting new wrinkle that we're curious to see in action. This game also looks gorgeous, with details in the art and board design that reinforce the theme. And if Distilled is any indication, the box organization should be great. Luthier should be available to the public in August or September. We'll be testing it to see how it compares with our current favorite strategy games. Players : one to four : one to four Duration : 90 to 150 minutes : 90 to 150 minutes Rules: BoardGameGeek


Buzz Feed
4 days ago
- Buzz Feed
31 Pieces Of Home Decor From *Rubs Eyes In Disbelief* Amazon
A stained glass wall hanging with floral and dragonfly details that are sure to make your "meh" rental look like the Victorian garden flat of your dreams. A woven pendant light for folks who want to create an upscale, open, and airy vibe in their home that'd make anyone a price that's actually affordable. Promising review: "We love it. We had to get a black mounting plate for the likes of our ceiling but otherwise it's awesome. It looks amazing." —Lady JLJPrice: $79.99 A handmade suitcase portable turntable with a design that suggests you snagged it from the set of Mad Men, even though the tech is anything but old school. This can convert your records into MP3 files, and it's compatible with 33, 45, and 78 rpm records. A giant bamboo wall fan to fill your blank walls well (at a price your bank account is gonna love). A Baroque mirror I can hardly believe is actually on Amazon. Get this in your life (at this price!) before everybody finds out our little secret and it's sold out for good! Promising review: "All I can say is woooow! This mirror is not only affordable, but the quality is amazing. It's heavy and not cheap looking. The gold color is not so tacky, and it's done just right. My main concern was receiving a broken mirror but the packaging was great and arrived in one piece. Don't hesitate buying this gem, you need it!" —Celeste CPrice: $84.99+ (available in six styles and 10 sizes) A retro lamp that'll shine a light on your vivid, crayon-inspired color scheme brilliantly. A floor mattress you can use all on its own. Eliminate bland bed frames from your life and create an open, organic vibe in your bedroom with this beautiful bedding solution instead. A coffee syrup dispenser set complete with premade flavor labels for turning your kitchen into the intimidatingly chic cafe you, sigh, don't have in suburbia. Interlocking Teak tiles I'm pretty certain were made specifically to turn rentals into brag-worthy homes. You don't need tools to install them as long as they're going on a hard, flat surface. That means you'll be able to simply take them apart and pack them up the next time you move! Promising review: "Living in Hawaii you have to select wise items that are weather-, salt-, and red dirt-proof, etc... In total, I ordered 11 boxes to complete my yoga deck. I have a few left over to make steps on the back. Very pleased and happy. May order more for an outdoor shower project!" —AdeliaPrice: $77.48 for a pack of 10 tiles (available in smaller sets and samples) A disco ball you're gonna need to bounce light all around your room if you're still deep into your Folklore era and want those "Mirrorball" vibes IRL. Promising review: "My apartment gets very little sunlight, but every single night I look forward to when the sun sets so I can watch the light dance around the room. This simple little mirrored ball has brought me so much joy. Definitely recommend! Yes, there are areas where the mirror pieces are applied a little haphazardly but it's mostly at the bottom and quite frankly I don't care considering how affordable this thing is." —HollyPrice: $14.99+ (available in two colors and three sizes) A pearl lamp so dang darling it'd practically be ~shellfish~ to not get it for your home! The battery-powered pearl light can be removed from the ceramic shell base and carried around, making this a great choice for children who like having a night-light nearby. Promising review: "This is a pretty and unique light, but be aware, the battery only lasts about 48 hours, so I removed one star. It is quirky and unique mood lighting." —T3268Price: $20.99 An artificial olive tree for folks who love *window* shopping at Pottery Barn and West Elm, but prefer getting clever and creating the vibe at half the cost. A roll of metallic-gold leopard-print peel-and-stick wallpaper to add some glam to your place. Some people like beige as a base color. But if you, like me, love that maximalist doesn't stand a chance. Promising review: "I love love love this!! SO easy to work with and gorgeous quality. I just adore this product and can't say enough about it." —Stephanie's StuffPrice: $25.74 A quilted chenille floor pillow for anyone in an apartment so small, "furniture" is a word that needs a little wiggle your apartment has none at all. Promising review: "This comes just as pictured and described. It is comfortable and looks luxurious. It's great for floor seating." —AKhanPrice: $39.99 (available in 12 colors) A cheery shower curtain that's gonna add some much needed color to your bare bathroom and make things look downright peachy! Promising review: "This is just like Urban Outfitters. It's exactly as pictured and described. Very cute!" —ShanicePrice: $19.99 A bendable halo projector lamp with FIVE halo bulbs in total — get this, and you can make your late-night study sessions entertaining in an instant. A pair of rainbow drip candles to display inside a vase, wine bottle, or candleholder. These colorful candles will brighten up your room even better than the flame you light 'em with! Promising review: "These have to be the coolest thing I have ever purchased. I have them in an empty wine bottle. I will be buying many more to cover the entire bottle in wax." —BrePrice: $5.52 An iridescent mini shelf with six different levels that'll keep your skincare, jewelry, and sunglasses on a dazzling display. A pair of plush velvet pillow covers, because the last tenant painted the walls solid black and adding rich jewel tones can help add depth and interest. Plus, plush materials like velvet are gonna organically give that dungeon a dark, romantic aesthetic. A metal mirror with an open black frame — this piece is sure to step up the aesthetic of any room it rests in. With a mirror like this, whatever reflects in it is sure to look like a piece of art. Oh, it's your face? Gorgeous! Get on the phone with Guggenheim! A pair of linen café curtains reviewers use both over their windows as a way to create privacy (while still getting light!) *and* as a gorgeous upgrade to unsightly storage spaces. If you find yourself glaring down at the packaged foods and mismatched dishes you have underneath your kitchen island, set these curtains up and hide that all away *while* making your kitchen look chic as can be! A tissue box holder for providing even the most mundane of home necessities with a chance to look overwhelmingly lovely in your place. Plus, it helps you know when to restock! An ultra soft faux-fur rug sure to feel luxurious every time you get out of bed and have this fancy fuzz between your toes instead of the cold wood floors beneath your feet. A framed canvas painting sure to create a cozy, lived-in touch in empty nooks and crannies that could use a little somethin' special. An electric candle warming lamp that'll do far more than its fair share. Light this little device up with an unlit candle underneath, and it'll evenly melt the wax (it has both a dimmer and a timer), helping your candles last longer even if they've started tunneling. Make upcoming autumnal nights cozy as can be by turning off your overhead and cuddling up beside this bright little warmer. A luxury-scented candle comparable to Le Labo's Santal 33 (we're talkin' rich notes of jasmine, oud, and sandalwood) for folks who are old enough now to want their home to have its very own signature scent. Sigh, it's such a satisfying stage in life — I'm right there with you. And this candle is about to be with ME. A wireless library light you can use to highlight favorite books or pieces of art in your home. It has both warm and cool light settings, so it can easily match your seasonal aesthetic shift. A cheerful fruit bowl with a spiffy secret — it's also a colander — for keeping your produce on display. Fresh produce on the counter looks so lovely *and* reminds you to eat your rutabagas before they go bad. A pair of ceramic vases in a Nordic neutral color. These'll add a tasteful mix of earth tones and industrial geometry to any surface you place them on. A pair of battery-operated sconces that'll instantly create a cozy, romantic, Nora Ephron-approved aesthetic in your living room. A terribly cool Tetris-esque lamp that's actually stackable! Adjust this '80s-era light whenever you get the hankering for a game of furniture Tetris. You're getting older, old enough to remember when Tetris came out... give your back a break.


New York Post
07-08-2025
- New York Post
Megan Ellison asks $3.65M for her domed NYC penthouse
Dialing New York City history lovers! Oscar-nominated producer Megan Ellison, 39 — the heiress daughter of billionaire Larry Ellison, who in July was named the world's second richest person by Bloomberg — has re-listed her domed pied-à-terre in the former radio room of New York City's Police Building, Gimme Shelter has learned. The striking-looking one-bedroom, one-bath aerie is asking $3.65 million — down slightly from its $3.7 million ask in 2023. Advertisement Ellison bought the 2,000-square-foot penthouse in her full name — Margaret Elizabeth Ellison — for $2.8 million in 2013, according to property records. 9 Megan Ellison. FilmMagic 9 She's the daughter of Oracle titan, Larry Ellison. Getty Images 9 Ellison's domed penthouse is visually striking, as seen in this previous listing photo — and now available to own at a slight discount. VHT Advertisement 9 It's located in the Police Building downtown, which was once a haven for fashion-industry A-listers. VHT A talented, risk-taking filmmaker, Ellison won four Oscar nominations — two in the same year — for producing hits including 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'American Hustle.' Located at 240 Centre St., the listing is in a Belle-Epoque building that dates to 1905. It was originally designed by Hoppin & Koen, and served as Manhattan's police headquarters until 1973. It was converted to co-ops in 1988 by Ehrenkranz Group & Eckstut. Advertisement In the '90s, the building was the 'it' residence for top models including Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista — and it was also home to top fashion designer Calvin Klein. 9 The kitchen. VHT 9 Every inch of space is maximized in the 2,000-square-foot space. VHT 9 A view of the open layout. VHT Advertisement 9 Radiant heat floors in the spa-like bath add to the luxurious feel where switchboard operators once ruled. VHT 9 The landmarked Police Building on Centre Street. Courtesy Kelly Bensimon/Douglas Elliman Her dwelling features ceilings that rise to 17 feet with skylight views of the building's Baroque spire and motifs. A renovation by James Ramsey/RAAD Studio revealed the original ironwork and masonry that helps make the unit so visually stunning. Details also include wide-plank oak floors, lacquer built-ins, large skylights, central air and heating — plus an oversize chef's kitchen with two banquettes and a concrete island with bar seating for six. In addition, there's a sound system, a projector and a drop-down screen for films, while the spa-like bath has radiant-heat floors. The listing broker is Nick Gavin, of Compass, who declined to comment.