Comments on: Regie Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off

By: Hans Lick

Hans Lick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:39:14 +0000

It’s an opera with a bride in it – that narrows it down to 300 (since La Cieca is sticking to common repertory, right?).

Since the bride has no beard, I’m going with Lohengrin.

1. Brabantines and Saxons join forces to fight the heathen Hungarians (Act III, scene 2).

2. Elsa persuades King Henry of her implausible innocence – of fratricide and just about everything else. (Act I)

3. While Ortrud and King Henry complete the laying out of little Duke Godfrey in his coffin, Telramund eyes Elsa suspiciously. (Act I)

… unless this is a very sick production of Jenufa.

By: pyramus

pyramus — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:02:21 +0000

Lucia, somehow. It’s just gotta be.

By: MontyNostry

MontyNostry — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:20:27 +0000

Steblianko! He was wonderful in 1987 when he sang, I think, Herman with the Kirov/Maryinsky in London. Still pretty good here, I thought — especially in view of his antagonist’s, er, performance.

By: MonkeyBoy

MonkeyBoy — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:33:04 +0000

That’s exactly what I thought, but you beat me to it. The disco ball is obviously the moon, commented on during the first scene.

(Plus the title made me think immediately of Salome)

By: eckermann

eckermann — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:59:12 +0000

Gosh. Thank you, La C. I am honoured—as were Lord Britten, Sir Peter and Dame Janet.

By: tannengrin

tannengrin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:28:19 +0000

Monteverdi! Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria! all at the manse in Ithaca, with Penelope in bridal gear to confuse all the suitors.

By: Ewan Husarmi

Ewan Husarmi — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:44:40 +0000

I think it’s il Trittico.

1. Barge replaced by disco.
2. She’s married to god, right? Principessa is played by ugly bald woman in man’s clothing.
3. They couldn’t afford a costume change for the soprano for the third opera.

By: Regina delle fate

Regina delle fate — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:33:32 +0000

Well Steblianko was once able to sing, but who is his Carmencita? This can’t be the wreck of a once-splendid voice, can it?

By: CruzSF

CruzSF — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:46:39 +0000

Excellent! La Cieca always smells a winner!

By: Valmont

Valmont — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:45:52 +0000

This is actually the only surviving recording of the first mash-up in music history. Called “Carmen Luniere” it was a hit in Berlin for a week until it was deemed no longer avant garde enough.

By: Nero Wolfe

Nero Wolfe — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:40:09 +0000

I assume La Cieca chose Manon Lescaut in honor of the N.O. Saints in the Superbowl? Right?

By: jatm2063

jatm2063 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:23:07 +0000

Oh. My. God.

It sounds as if the vodka and xanax she slammed down in her dressing room has already kicked in, with a vengeance.

At least he can sing. The voice is a rather far south, but he seems to have had something at some time, however far in the past that may be.

By: mrmyster

mrmyster — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:20:27 +0000

I mean, it was a joke huh? Tell us more.
The tenor may once have been a singer; as for
Carmencita…….what can one say? Poor guy -
he looked like he was going crazy!

By: La Cieca

La Cieca — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:12:25 +0000

Bravo.

By: CerquettiFarrell

CerquettiFarrell — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:35:49 +0000

One of the greats. Thank you Monty, now my status on FB!

By: MontyNostry

MontyNostry — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:56:59 +0000

I think Schicchi too. But the real reason for my posting is this. Too good to lose in the depths of an older thread …
Carmen as complete car crash.

By: squirrel

squirrel — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:47:50 +0000

Figaro or Schicchi
I gotta get to these sooner, someone always beats me to my guess!

By: eckermann

eckermann — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:08:59 +0000

At last a production which brings out the hitherto unsuspected qualities of ‘Owen Wingrave’.
1. Partying at Spencer Coyle’s military crammer. The director taking a cue from the stage direction ‘Lechmere sippng his sherry excitedly’ and Mrs Coyle’s revelation: ‘So many boys come here and I rejoice in all. After the long day with their books they come to me and charm me with their new-found grown-up ways.’
2. Later at Paramore Kate Julian (here not Dame Janet) attempts to flirt with Sir Philip (here not Peter Pears): ‘How good to see you well enough to dine, Sir Philip.’
3. The denouement. Kate confesses all to Lechmere, Sir Philip and Mrs Julian: ‘It’s my fault. I shut him in there. I came back, I was sorry, and Owen–he’s dead!’

By: m. p. arazza

m. p. arazza — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:06:27 +0000

Rusalka (again)?

By: Will

Will — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:51:55 +0000

I’m going with Schicchi. It was my first thought seeing the pictures and before reading the comments.

By: Kilian

Kilian — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:21:05 +0000

Or Die Schweigsame Frau which is of course Don Pasquale without the catchy tunes but with the extra woman in the shape of Morosus’s housekeeper.

By: operageek

operageek — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:11:36 +0000

That first picture would make a great Venusberg from Tannhauser…

By: Lucky Pierre

Lucky Pierre — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:10:54 +0000

it’s obviously salome.

By: rysanekfreak

rysanekfreak — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:46:23 +0000

Traviata !

1. The party at the beginning of Act I.

2. Act 2, wherein Violetta (thinking she will marry Alfredo) taunts Germont pere with the news that she will soon be his daughter-in-law.

3. The big finale, as we see Violetta getting ready to crawl into her coffin. Annina, Germont pere, and Alfredo are there to assist her when it’s time to occupy the coffin.

By: Straussmonster

Straussmonster — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:28:41 +0000

Anything I would have guessed off the top of my head has already been said, but how many productions would be improved by the addition of that ginormous disco ball? I can’t take my eyes off of it.

By: CerquettiFarrell

CerquettiFarrell — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:15:51 +0000

I think it’s Goetterdammerung

It’s always Goetterdaemmerung

By: Valmont

Valmont — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:02:24 +0000

the 2nd photo just screams Pasquale, but that second woman in the casket picture poses a problem. So I’m gonna go with Il Matrimonio Segreto

By: justanothertenor

justanothertenor — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:56:59 +0000

Clearly, it’s Le Nozze di Figaro!

By: Zerbinetta

Zerbinetta — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:29:59 +0000

I’m going with Don Pasquale or possibly Gianni Schicchi. Obvious but they would work.

By: Sir Ferris

Sir Ferris — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:23:52 +0000

Cunning Little Vixen?