Headshot of La Cieca

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  • Camille: Blue–just so you know you are not the only one– my husband had some reservations about... 12:40 AM
  • mrmyster: Good God, Gertie! It sounds like the cast of Charles Busch’s “Die Mommie, Die” has... 12:40 AM
  • WindyCityOperaman: Born on this day in 1929 soprano Beverly Sills httpv://www.youtub e.com/watch?v=zxBW r6GbqE0... 12:17 AM
  • parpignol: huge New York success for Stemme who is clearly going to be the great Straussian and Wagnerian soprano... 11:59 PM
  • Andie Musique: I kept thinking Welzer-Moet had just read Strauss’ injunction to the orchestra If you can... 11:43 PM
  • bluecabochon: CAST: Nina Stemme, Salome Jane Henschel, Herodias Rudolf Schasching, Herod Garrett Sorenson,... 11:35 PM
  • A. Poggia Turra: They should have gotten this one: httpv://www.youtub e.com/watch?v=2bH8 q1SEHvQ 11:31 PM
  • Signor Bruschino: I was down in the orchestra and was surprised how well behaved the elderly set were this... 11:20 PM

waste not want not

“Opera is above drugs and alcohol and you don’t have to be fucked up to either write it or see it. It’s about transcendentalism. It’s not of this world. So I’d suggest not being fucked up, because you’re just wasting your money.”

Compositeur de musique Rufus Wainwright shares practical penny-pinching tips in Interview magazine.

18 comments

  • La Cieca says:

    But, Cassandra, surely that’s the up side of crystal meth. You can drunk cruise all day, attend a performance of Elektra in the evening, then immediately go back to drunk cruising until, say, you have to get ready for a singing gig. And you can do this for days on end since you don’t have to waste time sleeping.

    The down side of being an ex-druggie is that (as in Rufus’s case), they are going to look a tad dumpy all the rest of their lives, since we first got to know them when they were all methily gaunt.

  • kashania says:

    While no fan of Rufus’s singing, I’m always happy to have him speak up about opera. And I like his comments about not needing drugs to enjoy opera. Hasn’t anyone ever left a performance (be it opera, ballet, symphony) so exhilirated that it could only be called a natural high?

  • dtom says:

    Rufus is an ardent opera lover who has expressed an opinion (and a charming one)
    about his love.

    Why does he need to shut up?

    Why are some people so mean?

  • dcrazmo says:

    kashania & dtom: We really must catch up some time so you can tell me how things are going at Sunnybrook Farm.

  • bersi says:

    why is sunnybrook farm capitalized?

  • bersi says:

    #14

    I don’t know who you are but I hate you.

  • -Ed. says:

    For me, part of the opera experience always includes enjoying a martini or three at the bar before the overture. Now you know why I dislike Wagner.

  • bersi says:

    Three martinis before the curtain and disliking Wagner. YES, I totally understand. Thanks for that clarification.