January 2011
UPDATE: “Roberto Alagna will make his Met role debut as Cavaradossi in tonight’s opening performance of Tosca, replacing Marcelo Álvarez, who withdrew this afternoon due to the lingering effects of a cold.” Whoever her tenor might be, the occasion of parterriani fave Sondra Radvanovksy‘s first Met Tosca calls for dancing in the streets, drinking in…
In the process of unearthing forgotten musical works, sometimes we stumble across a gem. World War II saw an entire generation of European composers forced into internment or diaspora, and their works are only slowly being rescued from obscurity. In a recent DVD release from the LA Opera, a part their Recovered Voices series, we…
Those sleek monochromatic idols were, in fact, film stars in last week’s Regie quiz. This Opéra national du Rhin production of La Belle Hélène, directed by Mariame Clément, won half credit for talented cosmodimontevergine, who recognized William Randolph Hearst’s neo-classical swimming pool in San Simeon and recalled the use of that image in a recent staging…
“A cover article this weekend about choosing the Top 10 classical composers misstates, at one point, the length of time that opera had existed as of 1750, when Bach died. As the article correctly conveys in other references, opera had been around for roughly 150 years then, not ‘a half-century’.” La Cieca is sure the…
Willy Decker’s Traviata has garnered praise from critics and audiences alike in the week since its Metropolitan premiere, but (as was to be expected) this praise comes over the complaints of a select few traditionalists, a handful of lonely boos amid the mostly enthusiastic applause. Their objection (as usual) is that Decker’s production betrays the…
La Cieca welcomes “the boys” (and girls, too!) to a chat during this afternoon’s broadcast of La fanciulla del West from the Met. The first shot will be fired at 1:00 pm precisely!
“Decker’s vision of Traviata, like most great productions, combines emotional truth with intellectual rigor—or, rather, there is a synergy between these two qualities that illuminates the entire work.” Our Own JJ takes apart the giant watch to find out what makes it tick, over at Musical America.
Paint La Cieca astonished that Renée Fleming and Lorna Luft volley back and forth the compliment “You open your mouth and that noise comes out. How do you do that?” No, you! No, you! [In the Noh]
Separated at birth: “Tu che di gel” goddess Renata Scotto and “Too much hair gel” oddness Johnny Weir. This is also holiday-themed breaking news because Johnny has now officially donned his gay apparel. [After Elton]
Lovely Marina Poplavskaya, arriving at the Mercedes T. Bass Grand Tier for dinner following the opening night of La traviata, demonstrates that the previous Franco Zeffirelli production has not gone to waste. The latter-day Scarlett O’Hara‘s motto: “Reduce Reuse Recycle!”
“I must say choosing from among these finalists is almost impossible, as there are bits and pieces from each one I like and admire the thought process and the experience each one highlights for us. For me they are all intelligent and quite wonderful— skewed perhaps by their times and what is and is not…
“Mr. Decker joined Acts II, III and IV by creating a tableau at the end of each act that dissolved into the beginning of the next. It was theatrically effective, but made for a long sit for the audience.” This, and a whole lot of other hogwash, in The Wall Street Journal.
From the Met press office: “Elisabete Matos will sing the role of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West at this evening’s performance, replacing Deborah Voigt who is ill.”
“Unveiling a new La Traviata Friday night to a starry audience including Natalie Portman and Vanessa Redgrave, the Met triumphed with the most moving and exciting Verdi production in years.” [New York Post] / Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
La Cieca is shocked, shocked to see that not a one of you clever cher public were able to work out the solution to last week’s Regie quiz. Admittedly it’s a work not very often revived, but it should at least be a familiar title: Rossini’s Semiramide, as done here in a staging by Nigel…
La Cieca (not pictured) reminds the cher public that the first chat of 2011 will begin at noon today at La Casa della Cieca. Details on Pelléas et Mélisande after the jump.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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