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father figure

by | 4:13 pm | Mar 31, 2008

Mary Sohl, Metropolitan Opera

La Cieca’s spy, just returned from the Metropolitan Opera Guild luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria honoring Franco Zeffirelli, reports:

Lynn Redgrave did the voiceover for a video retrospective of Zeffirelli’s life, beginning with his origins as a “love child” (news to me).

But the highlight was Angela Gheorghiu. After performing two Romanian folk tunes nobody knew or really cared about, she did a very moving “O mio babbino caro,” literally singing it into his ear. Zeffirelli did a little comic bit of wiping his eyes and blowing his nose before embracing her. Nifty!

Zeffirelli and Gheorghiu are pictured above at Saturday night’s gala Bohème at the Met. Note also Paul Plishka (Alcindoro) and unidentified scruffy super.

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142 Comments

142 comments

1 2 3 … 15
  • mariod says:

    Maybe the scruffy one is one of the charming and gorgeous male “assistants” I always see FRANCO with…

    on March 31, 2008 at 4:32 PM
  • Grimgerde says:

    I would play father figure to the scruffy super any time.

    on March 31, 2008 at 4:34 PM
  • David Utterback says:

    I always associate Romanian folk songs with Zeffirelli.

    on March 31, 2008 at 4:48 PM
  • kashania says:

    LOL, David.

    on March 31, 2008 at 5:29 PM
  • dcrazmo says:

    Love him or hate — and I’m on the fence, depends on the production — the guy — Zeffirelli, not the cute, scruffy one, but maybe him, too — really loves opera and believes in it as an art form. These days, seeing pics of all those miserable regiewrecks makes me appreciate traditional productions more and more. Metaphorically speaking, wild boar carpaccio with truffle sauce can be scrumptious, but there’s something to be said for mom’s good old-fashioned meatloaf.

    on March 31, 2008 at 5:59 PM
  • Repetitor says:

    I never saw a Zeffirelli production that made me think of my mum’s meatloaf. But I will never forget the 187th performance of his Vienna Boheme production in 1985 with Freni, Pavarotti and Juan Pons with Carlos Kleiber in the pit: of all my hundreds of evenings in the opera it remains the best!!!!!

    on March 31, 2008 at 6:47 PM
  • Constantine A. Papas says:

    With the size of her voice, Angela G has to sing into someone’s ear to be heard! Has anybody thought of using a mic at the Met? The Met is too big a house for her. Her upper notes are almost inaudible on Sirius.

    on March 31, 2008 at 6:50 PM
  • Trey Zbirry says:

    La G is getting to look a bit haggard, don’t you think? Can’t be long before she does a Renaaay and starts reaching for the Botox.

    on March 31, 2008 at 7:06 PM
  • HildeK says:

    Oh please, *NOT* the amplification-at-the-Met thread again. If one wants to hear miked voices from the Met, they should stay home and listen to Sirius. Apparently, the mikes were very flattering to RDS’s Tristan.

    on March 31, 2008 at 8:05 PM
  • the ignorant one who has yet to see an opera at the met... says:

    robert dean smith was mic-ed in tristan? was this just something special because of the hd broadcast? or could he not fill the house?

    on March 31, 2008 at 8:19 PM
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