Return from the Plaza
La Cieca is back in her beloved Sunnyside late this evening, even though the Metropolitan Opera opening night began at 6:30. By her watch, the performance of Madama Butterfly ran not quite four hours including intermissions and curtain call. Oddly, though, the evening didn’t seem unnaturally long — maybe because La Cieca enjoyed a disco nap prior to the performance, or maybe because her seat for this opening night was in the plaza, watching on the big screen video, or, as we have come to call it, the Plazatron.
First things first: quite unlike most free events in New York, and on the Upper West Side in particular, the crowd was mostly very well mannered, attentive and appreciative. The weather, La Cieca must say, was simply superb, with just the hint of a cool autumnal breeze. The much-ballyhooed Red Carpet was somewhat underwhelming, hidden as it was over near Damrosch Park. La Cieca did catch a glimpse of Jude Law in the flesh, looking very dapper in black tie, and on the Plazatron, she noticed our own Dawn Fatale looking very boyish indeed against a backdrop of social xrays.
About the performance proper La Cieca can’t really say anything because our own JJ will review a later performance, but she will note that the Plaza crowd was treated to an intermission feature showing director Anthony Minghella and the cast in rehearsal. Minghella talks too much, La Cieca thinks, and in the video one could sense that Marcello Giordani and Dwayne Croft were getting a bit impatient with all the chitchat. Speaking of which, Giordani looks great these days, slim and dashing in his Navy whites, and Croft has evolved into a very sexy daddy type — particularly since this production makes no effort to disguise his mostly-bald pate. You know how La Cieca goes for the tete de peau look!
As La Cieca was preparing her podcast this evening she was listening to the second Met Radio broadcast on Sirius, a 1971 Rigoletto, and she sees the ante has been upped: she’ll have to redouble her efforts to bring you the best in Unnatural Acts of Opera.
ITDG – greetings and my regrets for not being a regular poster here any longer – I do miss our wonderful conversations, especially with Mr. Interpolater. However, I just HAVE to interject concerning your comment about the Gioconda broadcast. I think what you should be more upset about is the fact that only Urmana and NOT Borodina is scheduled to sing. As far as Enzo is concerned…I am very pleased to see that my friend Eduardo Villa is the one who will be singing the broadcast…his Enzo is quite respectable and he is by far a much greater, verstile and just a hell of a lot more interesting to listen to than Giordani, sad to say. I have unfortunately allowed myself to listen to Giordani sing all this heavy repertoire unsuited to his voice for far too long and I refuse to allow myself to be subjected to it any longer. He really was very good in some of the ‘lighter’ roles…for example, that Youtube clip of him and Fleming singing the duet from Puritani – he’s in GREAT form. But Enzo – that is not a role I believe is suited well to his voice.
Also, I’m surprised no one is talking about Millo’s one performance as Gioconda on October 18th! I hope I can make it!
I’ve mentioned it in passing. It actually falls on my Birthday. I thought about going, but luck was not on my side and I chose to go to Chicago for Voight in SALOME instead that weekend.
I am very excited about the Millo performance. I will be in NY that week and have tickets for it, along with Butterfly and Faust (it came with the trio, I’m hoping Swenson cancels). Also Die Tote Stadt at NYCO, one of my very favorite operas, which I have never seen live.
Other than on video, I’ve never seen Millo live in opera, only in a rather bizarre recital in Berkeley back in the 80s. As I recall, she basically jettisoned everything that was on the printed program in the second half and announced a different program from the stage. I think she just made it up as she went along. It was still good, and certainly unique if not a bit strange.
I’m hoping I won’t be catching her too far on the downhill side of things. But I am anticipating some good old-fashioned thrills, and can’t wait for the “fra le tenebre” chest voice in the Suicidio!