and that’s why they call it opera

March 22, 2008

“The Metropolitan Opera House has also had its brush with murder. In 1981 a Met stagehand, Craig Crimmins, was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for hurling a violinist, Helen Hagnes Mintiks, to her death down an airshaft from the roof of the opera house. Ms. Mintiks had disappeared during an intermission of a Berlin Ballet performance.”

(“Many nights at the opera involve emergency room” – NYT)

2 Responses to “and that’s why they call it opera”

  1. Phil Says:

    posted @ 8:36pm Saturday 3/22/08

    I remember that story. I was in NYC at the time. It got a lot of press. How did you come across it?

    Phil

  2. weinberg Says:

    Through that NYT article about other operatic disasters…


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