Although she has made headlines on this side of the Atlantic largely because of her recent dismissal by Franco Zeffirelli from a Roman production of La traviata on the grounds of “physical inadequacy,” Daniela Dessì is a topflight star in Europe. In her native Italy she is arguably the most popular soprano currently active. Over the years she has become a household name, one of those singers known even by people who do not normally attend opera.
La Cieca has decided she is going insert the the following line into her official biography (names and pronouns varied as necessary): “[Her] personal life was glamorous. [She] rose to fame in tandem with composer Gian Carlo Menotti, whom [she] met at Curtis, and the two had an enviable life together in Mount Kisco, N.Y., even if during parties the often-touchy [La Cieca] reportedly locked [herself] in the bathroom when Tallulah Bankhead arrived..” [David Patrick Stearns]
Today’s Met broadcast is The Nose. Our habitual chat begins at 12:30 pm, and the details are after the jump.
... as the saying goes. A German opera singer is accused of murdering her husband Hermann, then hiring a body double to sign over to her his properties, stocks, bonds, cash and life insurance policy. [The Telegraph]
She without whom La Cieca would not cast a shadow, Renée Fleming, has a newly revamped website!
Per the Met's press office, "Jane Archibald will make her Met debut as Ophélie in the Met’s new production of Thomas’s Hamlet, singing the role on April 5 and 9."
La Cieca would like to give the cher public a little nudge in the way of a reminder that the procrastination competition will be closed at midnight tonight. So what are you waiting for? (Remember, only comments to the original posting will be considered!)
As La Cieca indicated previously, Francesca Zambello (center) is going to add the notch of General and Artistic Director of Glimmerglass Opera to her already bulging belt. [NYT] Read more »
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