Last month our own JJ took in a trio of less than standard operas: Giulio Cesare and Die Frau ohne Schatten in Chicago, and Iphigénie en Tauride right here in New York. The review is in Gay City News, of course.
Imagine La Cieca’s delight when she heard that Julia Roberts has been cast in the starring role of Voce di Donna, a biopic based upon the whirlwind adventures of your very own doyenne.
Oscar-winner Roberts (left) beat out A-listers Nicole Kidman, Susan Sarandon and Dame Judi Dench to portray “Older Cieca.” The character in more “youthful” days will be played by Zac Efron. Additional casting for the film includes George Clooney as “Gualtier Malde,” Robert Downey Jr. as “Little Stevie” and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as “Maury D’annato.”
A reader writes…
Dear La Cieca:
I found your site through a Google search because I am trying to track down contact information for Felicia Weathers. So imagine my pleasure at the clip of “Up, Up and Away”!
In 1969 I had the good fortune to play “Trouble” to Felicia Weathers’ “Cio-Cio San” in a production of “Madama Butterfly” at Memphis State University.
I’ve lost contact with Ms. Weathers and am hoping that, with your encyclopedic knowledge [flattery will get you everywhere - Ed.], you might have a lead or a suggestion as to how I might find her.
I know that she’s been in Germany for many years, but I have had no luck in finding contact information or an agent listing. I’ve tapped numerous resources, including contacts here in Los Angeles and at the Met, but to no avail.
Any assistance you might be able to provide would be greatly ppreciated.
So, how about it, readers? If you have contact information for Ms. Weathers, please email it to La Cieca, who will forward it to The Reader Formerly Known as Trouble.
You, the cher public, have spoken. By a firm plurality of 31%, you have selected Renata Scotto‘s Lady Macbeth as the “encore” to her Adriana Lecouvreur on the current episode of Unnatural Acts of Opera. Of the 238 ballots cast, the Scottish dame garnered 74 votes. Runners-up were Norma (50 votes) and Elisabetta in Don Carlo (47 votes). La Gioconda and Amelia in Ballo brought up the rear with 31 votes each. Also featured on our current podcast: Apocryphal Opera Anecdote Theatre of the Air presents the heart-warming holiday-themed drama “La Cieca’s Christmas Carol,” with special “ghost” appearances by your [...]
“At High School of Enterprise, Business and Technology on Grand Street Campus in Brooklyn, the show is sold out at nearly 1000 tickets. The school didn’t spare any effort in terms of marketing: there’s a huge color banner for ‘Live in HD’ on the side of the building, facing Bushwick Avenue, with a picture of Anna Netrebko, who is singing Juliette, standing 20 feet tall. The school kids also put up posters in local eating establishments, including Grand Street Grill, their local bodega, and The Great Wall Chinese restaurant.” From metopera.org.
Cher Public