September 2009
Says a spectator at last night’s Tosca: [The final leap] “did seem poorly timed– Mattila ran to the top in slow motion, switch to stunt double appeared obvious. No boos followed– unenthusiastic applause instead. Neither Scarpia took any bow.”
La Cieca feels like she’s supposed to make a joke here, but she can’t — because Anthony Tommasini‘s interview with Barbra Streisand is like… well, you know!
Unlike the directors of some recent Metropolitan Opera stagings, Julie Taymor received an enthusiastic ovation when her production of Mozart’s “Zauberflöte” had its debut at the house in 2004. If the Metropolitan Opera continues on its current path, Jonathan Miller’s 1998 production of Mozart’s “Nozze di Figaro” will be succeeded either by a version couched…
Goodness knows, and La Cieca does too, that not everyone can achieve the precision of intonation of our dear Dame Nellie Melba, as I’m sure dear Dame Nellie would be the first to remind us. But even without perfect tuning or even because of perfect tuning, certain singers achieve a more viscerally thrilling effect than…
Renée Fleming shall henceforth be known as “La Scoopenda.” Congratulations to JNinNYC for his splendid suggestion, and thanks to all you lovely public who came up with so many clever ideas: in particular “La Ubiquita,” “Miss Cast” and “That Woman.” The new Verismo CD (among other delectables) is now on its way to the clever…
“As ever though, it was that gnomic figure in the orchestra pit that dominated the night. James Levine, the Met’s principal conductor, made his debut at the Met with Tosca in 1971 and now approaches his 2,500th performance at the house. From the audience, all you see of him from behind as he conducts is…
Now, here La Cieca is somewhat confused. The music is obviously from Tannhäuser, but so far as she can tell the scenario for the video is derived from the 1964 Bette Davis vehicle Dead Ringer.
“…a new production of Puccini’s Tosca left a significant segment of the audience booing one of the company’s biggest failures in decades.” [AP, unsigned review, and no wonder]
Well, all La Cieca can think is that the New York City Opera has just plain decided to win your doyenne over, because otherwise how can you explain why the company would present an art installation that combines her two very favorite things in the entire universe, i.e., couture and explosions?
Hans Lick (not pictured) called it! Yes, that’s right, our previous Regie quiz depicted a production of Wagner’s Siegfried. This Inszenierung (for Theater Lübeck) was by Anthony Pilavachi. Now, who’s inszeniering whom here?
[Karita Mattila] “was also remarkably unsexy, which made one wonder what Scarpia was so excited about.” [Wall Street Journal]
Is it just me, or is Patricia Racette on the cusp of turning into Aprile Millo? (Oh, and while we’re on the subject: it certainly took her long enough, but finally The People’s Diva really looks like a diva! Brava, you go on like this!)
“Tosca is no highbrow psychological study — it’s an operatic slasher movie.” [NYP]
Where else? [NYT]
“Don Giovanni …. Ideal for those still wishing your cheating ex will get screwed in the end.” [NYCO]
“Tosca gashes the portrait of the Magdalene (with a breast bared)…” Also: damn those bloggers! Damn them! [NYT]
“Eroticism! Kinkiness! Sacred-cow-skewering! Groin!” — New York Times
A willfully ignorant old queen turns up his nose at something he hasn’t seen: “idiotic…. third rate.” In other news, dog bites man. [NYT]
This is it, cher public, the big night… and you’ve found the place to be. The traditional (that word again!) yakfest during the Met’s opening night festivities will take place here at parterre.com from 6:00 pm until the curtain falls. Members of the public attending the event proper or the various HD relays are invited…
Danielle de Niese has emailed blog A Liberal’s Libretto insisting that she was misquoted on her now-notorious “elephants” one-liner.
See the new posting that will appear at 5:45 pm entitled “Overture! Light the Lights!” — this will be your official one-stop location for tonight’s chat during the Met’s Tosca.
An old clip, but worth repeating: Gina Lollobrigida plays Lina Cavalieri plays Floria Tosca in La donna più bella del mondo.
A video glimpse of the new Tosca, from the New York Times. The wig needs some major cleaning up.
Ya are 91 years old today!
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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