This just in: you know who else was schwul? Herbert Janssen!
La Cieca has just learned that tenor Joseph Kaiser will make a “surprise” Met debut October 3, singing the role of Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. He will also sing performances on October 6 and 11, replacing the ailing Rolando Villazón.
Kaiser stars as Tamino in Kenneth Branagh’s film of The Magic Flute and will reprise this Mozart role later in the Met season. He appeared as Narraboth in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Salome last season, a performance about which the always reliable David Shengold wrote, “The most consistently satisfying vocalism came from Joseph Kaiser, a young tenor on the brink of stardom . . . he sang the challenging high phrases with clarity and shine.”
BTW, this film is called La donna più bella del mondo, and it’s very loosely suggested by certain events and characters in the life and legend of Lina Cavalieri. (In other words, it’s utter and pure fiction.) But anyway, la Cavalieri is portrayed by Gina Lollbrigida, who certainly lives up to the title “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.”
It’s not clear whether la Lollobrigida does her own singing in this movie. But here’s an example of what the real Cavalieri sounded like. And here’s more of Gina as Lina.
Our new correspondent Miss Laura Hope Cruisey finishes her report from Santa Fe. Everywhere we look there is Nicole Cabell – so exotic! Wow! Very interesting looking woman; and her new arias CD is the most advertised classical record around, and it is getting good reviews. She was kind of a Mrs. Obama on stage as Musetta – slap them men around and tell ‘em off! Boy, I want her on my side! And if you want high B-naturals, she’s your gal. Only problem is, when she’s not above the stave, she isn’t. Musetta’s little prayer in Act IV disappeared [...]
A Faithful Reader writes: “Went to the closing performance of Deuce today and during one quiet moment I thought I heard a familiar snore. Sure enough, as I was leaving, there was Lois, wakened by the ovation . . . . “I’m sure she was headed back to get autographs as she was looking in her purse for what I assume was her pen.”
La Cieca’s Gal-pal del Golden West, Laura Hope Cruisey, sounds off on Santa Fe, 2007. Can we talk like this? Has Carl Rove turned off the reel-to-reel, before he turned out the lights? Well, since the New York Times seemingly did not cover the Santa Fe Opera Festival 2007, somebody’s got to say what happened (“Ah got plenty o’nuttin…”), just for the record. No! I am not going to say, “Not my cup of tea.” I shall not exclaim, “Weak tea!” Both have been done. How about: “No tea?” That’s more like it, anyway. Yep, this Tan Dun musical hooligan [...]
Kitty: I was reading a book the other day. Carlotta: Reading a book! Kitty: Yes. It’s all about civilization or something, a nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy said that machinery is going to take the place of every profession? Carlotta: Oh, my dear, that’s something you need never worry about. Dinner at Eight, 1933
UPDATE: A source at Opera Colorado informs La Cieca that there is in fact no exodus currently in progress from the company’s costume shop. La Cieca apologizes for the confusion. Earlier, La Cieca reported that her “mile-high informant” whispered that “Colorado Opera’s entire costume department just quit in a huff. Or was fired in a huff.” Apparently La Cieca was either misinformed or else misunderstood the tip she was given. In any case, we continue with the latest installment of News of the Hard to Believe. America’s Singing Slab Nathan Gunn is quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying, apparently [...]
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