The accustomed Peter Gelb ballyhoo was not in evidence this morning when the Met very quietly let it be known that the company’s Parks concert series would not take place this summer. According to a rather modest item in today’s New York Times, in lieu of the familiar format of a “tour” of the city’s parks with complete operas in concert, the Met will present a single pops event on June 20 in Prospect Park featuring Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu.
“A bare-chested prisoner, suspended upside down from a rope tied to his ankles, is pushed back and forth by brutish guards with clubs as if he were a human piñata.”
Who else but “Frantic” Franco Bonisolli?
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La Cieca is putting her entire nest egg into popcorn futures, since next season opera lovers will rarely emerge from their local movie palace. The Met will do an astonishing 11 HD simulcasts during the 2008-2009 season. Monday, September 22, 2008: Opening Night Gala starring the astonishingly well-preserved Renée Fleming in fully staged performances of La Traviata (Act II), Manon (Act III), and the final scene from Richard Strauss’s Capriccio. Ramón Vargas, Thomas Hampson and Dwayne Croft support milady; James Levine and Marco Armiliato share the arduous conducting duties. October 11:  Salome with Karita Mattila baring all or, perhaps, near-all. November 8:  Doctor Atomic. A [...]
“Sit with your legs extended in a V shape. Place your hands in front of you, between your legs, keeping your arms straight. Now straighten your back and neck, and lift your feet as high as you can.” Well, my dears, if La Cieca had a dollar for every time she’s heard that, she could . . . oh, what’s that? Really? In fact, there’s nothing naughty at all going on here. It’s just the Nathan Gunn Workout, as featured in Best Life Magazine [via NYC Opera Fanatic]
Ramón Vargas sings the season’s final performance of Un ballo in maschera tomorrow night at the Met, substituting for Salvatore Licitra, who presumably has better things to do elsewhere.
“Camilla” is presumably “charismatic, vocally robust … uncommonly dashing and cagey” Luca Pisaroni. [NYT]
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