“The acoustics are wonderful, but it may be the only opera house in the world where Rigoletto’s vows of revenge are punctuated by the raucous cries of seagulls.” [Christian Science Monitor]
“Journalist, screenwriter and producer” Patricia Zohn gives San Francisco Opera’s Traviata a quick once-over over at Huffington Post. As may be expected, there’s little of depth in the post proper:
“Vi makes mincemeat out of the heart of Alfredo, the scion of a wealthy family — and then compounds the debris by actually falling in love with him.”
But there’s there’s a nugget of pure platinum in the first comment following:
“Some years ago a production of ‘La Traviata’ came to Portland with Faye Dunaway in the lead role, but I never got a chance to see it.”
[This caption by Kernita Makilla replaces La Cieca's much inferior "psst... sandbag... SANDBAG!" The photograph by Ken Howard is of Christopher Feigum as Figaro, James Westman as Beaumarchais, and Dorothy Byrne as Susanna in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis's 2009 production of The Ghosts of Versailles by John Corigliano and William "It's because I'm gay, isn't it?" Hoffman.]
The titian-tressed triller was born 106 years ago today in Philadelphia; appropriately, on Arch Street. Miss MacDonald is heard here in that great, great French grand opera Tsaritsa!
A new study suggests that milder forms of intellectual property piracy (e.g., file sharing) seem to have no ill effects on the lively production of books, films and music. [NYT]
“I don’t see how they could not close…There is a slight chance that they can remain open, but where would the money come from?” That’s Robert W. Wilson, former New York City Opera chairman, deftly nabbing the takeaway quote from Robin Pogrebin‘s NYT analysis of what went wrong for the company. And wait until you hear the horror stories of “endowment invasion!” [NYT]
Rufus Wainwright previews an aria from his opera Prima Donna: “Les feux d’artifice t’appellent: descends dans la rue!”
La Cieca isn’t sure how all this sorts out or how it relates to opera, but as she understands it, the show our JJ is working tonight at Splash Bar New York (“Dorothy Bishop: Sexy, Sassy and Starving” at 8:00 PM) leads directly into another event that involves free booze.
Cher Public