July 2010
The Norwegian dramatic soprano, often called “the voice of the century,” was born 115 years ago today. The hard-working singer became a sensation “overnight” when, after the first act of her Met debut as Sieglinde, she was hailed by intermission commentator Geraldine Farrar as a new star.
More of you than La Cieca can mention managed to unveil the solution to last week’s Regie quiz: it was indeed Don Giovanni, as presented at Oper Köln and helmed by Uwe Eric Laufenberg. (A video on the Oper Köln website offers further visuals.) And now… something a little less extravagant?
Which tenor, who’s notorious for his off-the-chain antics, recently gave his colleagues the willies when he sauntered about backstage butt-naked?
Here’s home base for the cher public’s afternoon opera listening, whichever of the multitude of selections you choose to follow.
“My goal is just to make as many people happy with my throat as I can.” [Time Out New York]
“Why is the needlessly naked executioner so coy about showing us his wobbly bits?” [The Telegraph]
No, there never was an answer to that celebrated Lewis Carroll conundrum, but its inexplicability pales into insignificance next to the query sent in by loyal reader S.A.: why is Jack Black covering Bryn Terfel in the Met’s Ring?
Sweet Betsy again rounds up the Saturday afternoon listenables. La Cieca leans toward Manon naturellement, but she should warn you that she’s off like Des Grieux’s cassock at 3:00 pm to jump on the Caramoor Caravan. After the jump (not onto the Caravan!) the complete list of what’s singing who.
Finally, after all these months, La Cieca begins to understand the ways of Fthà in arranging the universe so that Francesca Zambello would be chosen new honcho (honcha?) of the Glimmerglass Festival. At first it seemed this turn of events was to transpire only so that dear ‘Cesca could stage half-baked feminist rewrites of Annie…
The voyages of CruzSF and his parterre box t-shirt continue as they visit the War Memorial Opera House in sunny San Francisco.
Legendary diva Martina Arroyo chats with Our Own JJ about learning, teaching and The Odd Couple. [New York Post]
La Cieca (pictured) can hardly muster a messa di voce after the overwhelming torrent of entries in the “You Can Ring My Bel Canto” competition, but after hours of careful consideration and hobnobbing with my fellow doyennes, I have finally come do a decision as to who should be considered a prima inter pares.
Chicago’s William Mason will ankle Lyric Opera at the end of the 2011-2012 season. John von Rhein‘s list of dreary white male possible successors is as good evidence as La Cieca has seen recently of the value of thinking outside the box. [Chicago Tribune]
The all-American diva was born 100 years ago today!
Juan Diego Flórez and Jerry Seinfeld compete to decide who has the puffiest shirt of them all.
La Cieca has just heard that the legendary basso cantante, star of well over 400 performances at the Met, died earlier today in Atlanta.
OpinionatedNeophyte was certainly heading in the right direction when he (she?) guessed our previous Regie quiz suggested Médée. That Greek sorceress was indeed in attendance, but maestro Cherubini had nothing to do with it, because the opera in question was Mayr’s Medea in Corinto. The director was Hans Neuenfels, at the Bayerische Staatsoper. And that…
Those of you escaping the summer heat this afternoon may want to gather ’round for a performance of Don Giovanni (featuring recent convert to the shaved-noggin lifestyle Bo Skovhus) live from the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, beginning at 3:30 New York time.
The birthday of our nation provides yet one more opportunity for “America’s Diva” Renée Fleming to demonstrate that she is indeed the Patti of our day. No, not Adelina so much, more like Sandi.
The legendary conductor and the protean mezzo-soprano were born on July 3, in 1930 and 1939 respectively.
Though she has not made many in-person appearances on the weekend chat since the summer began, La Cieca has realized (or has been told, truth be told) that directing parterrians, even by means of a democratic vote, is not any easier than herding cats. Which is to say, you guys who are chatting on Saturday…
Our sometime correspondent Seth Colter Walls sees in new PBS leadership a chance for a wider reach for “the splashiest happenings in America’s resurgent classical-music culture.” [Newsweek]
On the occasion of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s 85th Birthday, TDK has re-released performances of Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin” and “Winterreise” as a two-DVD boxed set. “Winterreise” was recorded without an audience at Siemensvilla, Berlin in January 1979, and is the earlier and more robust of the two performances. “Die schöne Müllerin” was taped over a decade…
Once again it takes an out-of-towner to write sensibly about Peter Gelb and the Met, though the “out of town” here refers only to geography: Anne Midgette is at heart and soul a New York newshen. [The Classical Beat]
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
×
Sign up for Parterre’s free newsletter.
Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, and top reads
delivered to your email weekly…ish.