La Cieca has managed to obtain a few minutes of video, pirated at great personal risk, from a dress rehearsal of the Met’s new production of Das Rheingold.
Everybody loves an orgy. But, in the words of Betsy Ann Bobolink (pictured), “a really good orgy takes preparation, and I don’t mean Preparation H.”
Our Betsy continues (discussing, I mean) after the jump. Read more »
La Cieca hears that Susan Neves has joined the cast of Washington National Opera’s Un ballo in maschera to sing Amelia in two performances, and Tamara Wilson will sing two additional performances. The American sopranos take over dates held by Irène Theorin.
It’s easy to see why the Met has chosen to include this 1982 performance of Der Rosenkavalier in their James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met – DVD Box Set: the marathon evening is a triumph for Levine from the frenzied blend of waltz melodies in the overture to the final, birdsong-like notes of hope at the end of Act III. Levine is confident and animated throughout the performance, which is spread out over two DVDs. Of course, Levine is always an excellent musician, but this Rosenkavalier reminded me how exciting he and the Met orchestra can be when [...]
A quintessential theater man as well as a brilliant conductor, James Levine rightfully chose not only the five-act version of Don Carlo for this 1980 performance but begins the opera as Verdi had originally conceived it. The Woodcutters chorus and the episode in which Elisabetta gives her necklace to a destitute woman are pages essential to the structure of the whole opera: they articulate around that plangent acciaccatura which, as a micro-Leitmotiv snaking through the entire course of the opera, will drill into Filippo’s aria. The effect is greater at that later point if the numerous times it has played—especially at [...]
In a week that includes the news of the release of nearly 100 “lost” Judy Garland performances and the announcement that Bernadette Peters will star as Sally in a lavish revival of Follies, even Betsy Ann Bobolink is hard-pressed to thrill with choices for Saturday afternoon listening. As she so often says, “Maybe something really appealing will turn up tomorrow.”
Congratulations to tenor Stephen Costello, who today was officially awarded the ceremonial title of Villazóneinspringer at the Vienna State Opera. No, actually, he’s jumping into two performances of La boheme, replacing Rolando Villazón, on September 6 and 9.
La Cieca hears that Renée Fleming will yet again grace the stage of the Metropolitan with a new role in 2015. The production will be staged by Susan Stroman.
Cher Public