Marked Down Woman
La Cieca’s old, old, old friend and role model Charles Busch returns to the boards this month in the New York stage premiere of one of his greatest film triumphs, the eponymous matriarch of Die Mommie Die. Busch (who is of course the author as well) stars as Angela Arden, a legendary screen chanteuse bedeviled by adultery, incest, blackmail, murder and the servant problem.
The play is a send-up of those 1960s horror films (sorry, “psychological thrillers”) like Dead Ringer and I Saw What You Did, with the added twist that the plot is “borrowed” from the Oresteia. In other words, this is the funniest version of Elektra you’re ever likely to see.
Die Mommie Die opens at New World Stages for a limited run beginning October 10, and for an even more limited time you can purchase tickets for this not-to-be-missed theatrical event for only $35.00! To take advantage of this near-felonious discount, Click Here and enter code DMTMC35. You can also phone 212-239-6200 and mention code DMTMC35.
He’s the guy who sang “I Am What I Am” right?
Anyway, off-topic:
Elaine Alvarez as Mimi at Lyric last night was heartbreaking.
Why am I only hearing about this brilliant soprano now? Judging by the quality of her voice, it seems she has been singing this role for decades.
The timbre is reminiscent of Anna Moffo.
Elaine Alvarez was fantastic – I felt that the voice was reminiscent of Tebaldi – but either way, it has such a lush sound, and a maturity that is uncommon amongst young singers today. Every word was understandable and she had a beautiful sense of the Italian language – I’m sure Scotto’s coaching was instrumental to her interpretation, but the execution was marvellous. Whomever was conducting didn’t seem to be doing much to help the singers or that they knew much about Puccini’s style – I couldn’t find a name on the website.
I’m a bit shocked that La Cieca did not cover a recent NYC debut and premiere – Gotham Chamber Opera’s production of Piazzola’s Tango masterpiece “Maria de Buenos Aires.” Not a long stagework, but one of poetic beauty and musical flair…Nicole Piccolomini was stunning as Maria and Riccardo Herrera sang beautifully as Porteno. Clearly whoever reviewed the show in the NYTimes wasn’t at the same performance the rest of us had attended. The staging was interesting and beautiful and seemed to fit so flowlingly with the character of the poetry and Piazzola’s vision for the characters. One needs to remember, Piazzola became famous because he refused to stay within the formal confines of traditional Tango and so the dancing in this show reflected that. One critic claimed that Piccolomini didn’t seem ‘victimized’ enough – but when you really think about it, Maria embraced all things that fate sent her way – she was never a victim of anything more than circumstance and I personally felt that she and the other cast members potrayed this excitement and noblesse with grandeur and grace.
If you didn’t see the show, you missed out! Both singers were great – keep your eyes peeled for these upcoming stars!
opera chanteuse-
You haven’t heard about La Alvarez before because she’s only barely decades old.
I don’t know how old she is, but she’s not yet 30, for sure.
(which, lest any of us forget, is still REALLY CRAZY YOUNG for opera singers.)
I am really excited to hear that she did so well. Congrats Elaine.
damn Die Mommie Die – the movie – showed up on Italian television this Sunday. Not sure what the locals thought of it but we nearly killed ourselves laughing. He is wonderful.
Willym: when the movie is shown on German television it is called “The Mommie The.”
I read the Sun-Times review today of Monday’s Boheme, stating that Alvarez is indeed only 27 years old. How about that!
To my ears, she sounded 50!
Is sounding like she’s 50 good or bad?
At any rate, I already have my tickets to Die, Mommie, Die!