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  • That Guy: "Heard" is an overstatement, at least based on the one perfo...
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  • kashania: Does that mean that Fleming will be semi-fake-acting?
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One-eyed king

Which recently disgraced genius is tingling with excitement at an offer to help a fellow artist achieve redemption?

Mystery date

The moral of Lohengrin is clearly set out: Don’t talk on your wedding night. Even more important, don’t sing. Happily, at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Johan Botha in the title role and Amber Wagner as Elsa of Brabant ignored this advice.  Read more »

I can’t do the sum

Pencils down! We have a solution; please see below. Read more »

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Bye bye Verdi

UPDATE: La Cieca now has audio evidence of Micaela Carosi‘s dress rehearsal of Aïda. PREVIOUSLY: La Cieca has heard of sweeping changes of cast in important Verdi revivals across the pond: Elisabete Matos has suddenly been dropped from Rome Opera’s Riccardo Muti-helmed Nabucco, with Csilla Boross jumping in as Abigaille.

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What’s wrong with James Levine?

La Cieca was just sent an announcement about “James Levine: 40 Years at The Metropolitan Opera,   an extraordinary insider’s view of the legendary conductor’s Met career, illustrated with vivid historic photographs…. Marking the 40th anniversary of Met Music Director James Levine’s company debut on June 5, 1971, the book celebrates his unparalleled artistic achievements through commentary by the maestro himself, as well as anecdotes and tributes from many of the great artists who have performed with him.” So it’s safe to assume that what we’re talking about here is a tongue bath suitable for coffee table display—but that’s not what’s [...]

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The mystery of the disappearing dress

Three Juliettes, three different seasons of the Met’s Roméo et Juliette: Natalie Dessay in 2005, Anna Netrebko in 2007, Hei-Kyung Hong in 2011. At this rate, La Cieca predicts that the role will be performed in the nude sometime around 2025. (Photos: Dessay and Hong by Marty Sohl, Netrebko by Ken Howard.)

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Reverse Regie quiz

Usually the idea of the Regie quiz is: you know the music, but the visuals are unfamiliar. Now let’s try it a different way.

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One thing after the other

UPDATE: “Alan Held will sing the title role in the revival of Wozzeck for all performances this season, replacing Matthias Goerne, who will undergo knee surgery in April,” says the Met press office. EARLER: La Cieca has been alerted that “wir arme Publikum” should be ready for a major cancellation/casting change announcement from the Met in the next day or so. In other breaking news, the moon rises in the east and sets in the west.

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