July 2010
Jane Eaglen (remember her?) reveals a fundamental secret of the art of song. [San Francisco Chronicle]
“Hans Sachs was a shoe- / Maker and a Wainwright too?”
In light of all the recent discussion of Norma, La Cieca thought it would be interesting to listen to a great (and controversial) Druidess of the recent past.
We may have a contender in the category of Most Overdone Camp Diva Crossover Hair Extension.
“Three-time Grammy winner Rene’e Fleming is beloved by classical and opera fans around the world [ça va sans dire], but the superstar soprano has also earned the admiration of a new generation of singers and songwriters …. “
“Mexikanische Startenor” Rolando Villazón has canceled tomorrow night’s performance of L’elisir d’amore at the Munich Opera Festival due to an “acute infection.” Speaking of “a cute,” substituting in the role of Nemorino will be puppylicious Pavol Breslik. [via]
French actress and Bond Girl Eva Green (Casino Royale) is in talks to star as Maria Callas in a biopic from Italy’s DeAngelis Group (DAP) and British producer partner Future Films. The project will be co-produced by Swarovski, “whose bling was often worn by the iconic opera star on stage and off.” [Hollywood Reporter]
Halfway through the overture to L’italiana in Algeri a pin-up cartoon of our Isabella, Jennifer Larmore, slowly slides up and down a pole, setting the tone for the whole opera. Cartoonish is indeed the first adjective that springs to my mind when trying to describe this 1998 production of Rossini’s opera buffa from the Opéra…
As Strephon so tactfully intimated, last week’s Regie quiz did indeed represent a “domestic and intimate” production of Verdi’s Luisa Miller, as staged by Stephen Medcalf for the Buxton Festival. (The performance of the name part by Susannah Glanville sent veteran operagoers’ tongues to wagging “Not since Fretwell!”)
“James Levine has served the Boston Symphony Orchestra honorably, and deserves to continue as music director if his health bounces back quickly. If he’s not able to return to full strength in a reasonable time, he should resign and allow the orchestra to search openly for a replacement.” [Boston Globe]
What a concept, or La Cieca should say what a concept! This is Regie at its finest and most boldly satirical, genius that makes Graham Vick look like two-day-old steak frites. For this production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, the director (unnamed, alas in the YouTube clip below) utilizes the cinematic convention of the flash-forward in…
I guess we all should have seen this one coming.
The pickings are slimmish this week for online listening Saturday afternoon, but those of you who are up and around by 11 AM may want to tune in to Die Meistersinger on BBC Radio 3, a concert performance by the Welsh National Opera starring Bryn Terfel. (Though I warn you: per the the Beeb’s website,…
The building that used to house Amato Opera will be repurposed into “a 100-seat theater showcasing work from various theater troupes,” plus “a 70-seat restaurant and bar,” which means that it’s just possible that at least sometimes opera companies may perform there again — assuming the rental on the theater space is not too prohibitive.…
Okay, so here’s that Luc Bondy production of Tosca again, this time as seen at the Bayerische Staatsoper earlier this summer, with the “original cast” of Karita Mattila and the singer who did all the rehearsals in New York until the last week, Juha Uusitalo. They rehearsed again for the co-production in Munich for festival performances and…
La Cieca was thinking that what with all the reading ye cher public are doing at the beach (or, more likely, bars and steam rooms and museums or wherever you hole up) it might be an interesting experiment to convene a virtual (i.e., online) book discussion. Except, instead of Oprah’s Book Club, this will be…
Your feelings about the new Opus Arte DVD of Handel’s Acis and Galatea will have a lot to do with your tolerance for gentle whimsy. As a cultural consumer who tends to gravitate toward the more high-octane, Italianate drama of a Verdi overture or a Real Housewives of New Jersey hair-pull, I do my best…
“Though the new sound system couldn’t make Central Park’s SummerStage sound like a concert hall, the first of the Metropolitan Opera’s Summer Recital Series made sweet dinner music Monday for 3,800 listeners and their picnics.” [New York Post]
The Australian conductor and authority on the operas of Janácek and Mozart died earlier today in London. He was 84.
“Internationally acclaimed opera singer and arts administrator Plácido Domingo, General Director of Washington National Opera (WNO), will lead a group of his protégés in a concert performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto on August 2, 2010, at Beijing’s Reignwood Theater…. The concert performance marks the first time that Domingo, a legendary tenor who has recently made highly…
The lovely and personable Jumping Clapping Man will act as host/coordinator of the first-ever Norcal Parterre.com Gathering Demented Mini-Conference (as seen in the above artist’s rendering). Details after the jump (and clap).
“…by any standard, Meade’s is a very fine Norma — and, as a first attempt at this Mount Everest of a role, it’s simply a miracle.” [New York Post]
After Friday night, it seems clear that the Brooklyn hipster is destined to be the next audience for opera. Galapagos Art Space was home to another co-production by American Opera Projects and Opera on Tap, this their fifth collaboration, and once again some amazing surprises were presented by this rag-tag bunch of very experimental artists.…
So a member of the cher public writes, “The odious Command Opera says that Netrebko has cancelled the Mariinsky Bolenas” which, according to the Mariinsky site certainly seems to be true. Or at least what seems to be true is that the rumored or planned production of Anna Bolena at the Mariinsky is not happening…
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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