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  • BillysBuddy: Ripped from today’s headlines, Il maggiordomo del papa, a new opera by Bela Malaventjentskij to... 3:27 PM
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  • Liz.S: It’s going to be on demand for a while, but there’s also Giulio Cesare video streaming from... 2:18 PM
  • Camille: Patrick Mack—- Operatic wasteland? How is that? You should have been there in the sixties and... 2:16 PM
  • Camille: And the fourth(!) time it WAS Matos and we got to meet you, caro Ercole, a pleasure we hope to have... 1:54 PM
  • La Cieca: Says Kaufmann, “It was my intention to stay in the Trojans, but at the last minute I... 1:50 PM
  • Ercole Farnese: Well, the first time was to review. Free ticket, and I was there on assignment. The second time I... 1:37 PM
  • Buster: Deborah Voigt makes her Belgian debut(!) as Minnie in Liège next season. With Carl Tanner as Dick, and... 1:37 PM

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Annals of British Criticism

by | 3:39 pm | Nov 24, 2007

“Ye Gods! In all the annals, can there be an opera containing more unmitigated codswallop than Erich Korngold’s Das Wunder der Heliane (‘The Miracle of Heliane’)?” Their Own Rupert Christiansen continues:

Dreadfully overheated and over-loud, the prolix first act has a slavering and maudlin sensuality that gave me the creeps ….

[T]he rapturous sublimity that glows through the last 20 minutes struck me as profoundly bogus and cheap. Why Jurowski and the LPO should wish to waste their talents and time on this tosh beats me ….

I felt slightly sick when it was all over and had to lie down in a darkened room.

Do you come from a land down under?

by | 2:55 am | Nov 24, 2007

Here’s Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Don Giovanni at Opera Australia. La Cieca is, for once, speechless.

UPDATE: Imagine La Cieca’s surprise when she found out there is already video of this production!

Watch out boy she’ll chew you up

by | 1:57 am | Nov 24, 2007

Unfortunately La Cieca has been unable to find video of the stars of our current Unnatural Act in a staged version of Adriana Lecouvreur. However, here’s our other prima donna of the piece, Elena Obraztsova, in a concert performance of the Principessa’s aria “Acerba voluttà.”


La Obraztsova may be heard in equally full wail opposite Renata Scotto, Giacomo Aragall and Giuseppe Taddei in the second act of Cilea’s opera at Unnatural Acts of Opera.

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I love Luisa

by | 3:08 pm | Nov 22, 2007

After you enjoy tomorrow’s Black Friday shopping spree at amazon.com, settle back for a little operatic comfort food: classic Turkey Tetrazzini. 6 tablespoons butter 1/2 pound mushrooms thinly sliced 1 tablespoon Madeira 4 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 to 3 cups cooked turkey, cut into 3/4-inch dice 1/2 pound linguine cooked to al dente stage 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs Salt and freshly ground black pepper Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. When the foaming subsides, add the mushrooms and saute, [...]

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Something to give thanks for

by | 2:29 am | Nov 22, 2007

La Cieca hears that our dear Aprile Millo (who recently had to cancel a Teatro Grattacielo appearance due to illness) is ready to bounce back big time in 2008. Word on the street is that Millo will join longtime colleague Dolora Zajick for a bel canto duet in OONY’s spring gala, followed by a return to the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for the 2008-09 season. While we wait, here’s some prime Millo via YouTube.

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Trouser role, or is it?

by | 12:20 pm | Nov 21, 2007

Stephanie Blythe and Julia Sweeney offer twice the gender confusion.

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Revenge of the Regie

by | 7:42 pm | Nov 20, 2007

No, this opera is not Der Tee und das Mitleid. Rather, it’s . . . ? At least one of you has guessed correctly so far. Let’s see if we can reach a consensus with the help of an additional image.

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Love has a bitter core, Vanessa

by | 3:26 pm | Nov 20, 2007

Oh, all right, La Cieca admits it, this is not a photo from a production of Vanessa. She will say, though, that this is what a production of Vanessa should look like, and hold the scrim trees. In fact, this is a scene from Lyric Opera of Chicago‘s new Die Frau ohne Schatten, which by the way your doyenne will be hearing next week. Expect a full report the first week of December. Speaking of Vanessa, here’s a representative of The Younger Generation of the Gays with his take.

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