April 2008
La Cieca’s spy at least night’s performance of La Fille du Régiment assures her that, yes, indeed, Juan Diego Florèz did take a “bis” of his first act cabaletta. “Tonight the ovation was far longer and louder than before (perhaps for fear of getting short-shrift as the old folks on Saturday did), and the encore…
At very long last, the final act of Tristan und Isolde. Act Three Tristan – Spas Wenkoff, Isolde – Catarina Ligendza, Brangaene – Yvonne Minton, Marke – Karl Ridderbusch, Kurwenal – Donald McIntyre, Melot – Heribert Steinbach, Steuermann – Heinz Feldhoff, Hirte – Heinz Zednik. Carlos Kleiber; Bayreuther Festspiele, 30 July 1976.
Here’s bel canto goddess Mariella Devia in fiery form for the final cabaletta from Anna Bolena earlier this month in Palermo. (Just ignore the annoying interpolated interviste.) [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/rT5cpY2qJ2c” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
. . . much to our dismay, we caught a glimpse of high-C-flaunting Juan Diego Florez coming out of the Juilliard School’s Meredith Wilson Residence Hall with fiance Julia Trappe in tow at around, oh, 1pm. That’s like 30 minutes before curtain! Little sister Counter Critic goes to the movies and gets a surprise preview.…
Reader/brainiac Orion Montoya has invented a gizmo that may help simplify the annual puzzlement over which of the Met’s myriad subscription series is right for you (if any). Before you purchase your tickets for next season, take a look at the Met Opera Subscription Helper.
Recital in Tokyo, November 2007. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/kGgFU8_bpLM” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
According to a review by Vivien Schweitzer in this morning’s NYT, the staid old Metropolitan Opera introduced a rather startling new plot element into their current revival of Entführung aus dem Serail:
It took sharp-eyed reader Weill Fan less than eight hours to recognize our most recent Regie puzzler. The correct answer was (of course) Ariadne auf Naxos. Additional kudos are due to Weill Fan for pinpointing exactly the characters and situations depicted in all three photos. So, will he (she?) be able to name this week’s…
[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/qvDWwm2MHlI” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] Many thanks to loyal reader Oliver for pointing us to this astonishing clip of Hildegard Knef singing “Seeräuber Jenny” from Die Dreigroschenoper. True, she was hardly an opera singer; in fact, Ella Fitzgerald once called her “the world’s greatest singer without a voice.” But as this clip demonstrates, La…
Until recently, soprano Diana Damrau was unaware of reports of steroid abuse in the 18th century seraglio. (Photo by Ken Howard, Metropolitan Opera.)
Oh, it’s just a typical day in the life of Shirley Verrett: walking the dog, crooning a few show tunes, going for a sleigh ride in a fur turban, vocalizing in a variety of silk scarves, strolling in the Bois, pounding notes on the Casio, and oh yes, belting out a Gluck aria or two.…
La Cieca thanks you all for your lively conversation during this afternoon’s chat about La Fille du Régiment.
“She asked one time, they said no. She asked a second time – no. At the third time she said Vafanculo [literally, “go f*** yourselfâ€]. You know how many times you sing La Bohème without rehearsal in the world? Roberto “Oil on Troubled Waters” Alagna continues his unique relationship with the media in an interview…
Philip Glass’ 1980 opera “Satyagraha” is a very high-minded work, but it never hides behind its principles. Musically and scenically the Met’s production (seen April 11) would rank as a successful work of art even if its subject matter were less inspirational. Our own JJ’s review appears in the current issue of Gay City News.
Now, stop La Cieca if she’s wrong, but it seems to her that the concept for this production of Carmen is that Escamillo is a 1970s gay clone. Well, no, La Cieca doesn’t get it either. But see for yourself: [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/6F_hltdh1KE” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
In what La Cieca hopes may be a quiet voice of reason, or, failing that, just for the sake of clarity, she would like to quote from the press release announcing the Met’s program for the summer of 2008. “We are trying something new this summer, which we think will be especially appealing to all…
The accustomed Peter Gelb ballyhoo was not in evidence this morning when the Met very quietly let it be known that the company’s Parks concert series would not take place this summer. According to a rather modest item in today’s New York Times, in lieu of the familiar format of a “tour” of the city’s…
“A bare-chested prisoner, suspended upside down from a rope tied to his ankles, is pushed back and forth by brutish guards with clubs as if he were a human piñata.”
Who else but “Frantic” Franco Bonisolli? [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/Xzg86rNphrI” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
La Cieca is putting her entire nest egg into popcorn futures, since next season opera lovers will rarely emerge from their local movie palace. The Met will do an astonishing 11 HD simulcasts during the 2008-2009 season. Monday, September 22, 2008: Opening Night Gala starring the astonishingly well-preserved Renée Fleming in fully staged performances of La Traviata (Act…
“Sit with your legs extended in a VÂ shape. Place your hands in front of you, between your legs, keeping your arms straight. Now straighten your back and neck, and lift your feet as high as you can.” Well, my dears, if La Cieca had a dollar for every time she’s heard that, she could .…
Ramón Vargas sings the season’s final performance of Un ballo in maschera tomorrow night at the Met, substituting for Salvatore Licitra, who presumably has better things to do elsewhere.
“Camilla” is presumably “charismatic, vocally robust … uncommonly dashing and cagey” Luca Pisaroni. [NYT]
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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