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Cher Public

  • MontyNostry: As I understand it, all AVA tuition is free to the students....
  • m. croche: And commiserations on this day to Aleksander Pushkin, wh...
  • phoenix: Very interesting. Does audience expression/reaction determi...
  • phoenix: There were always mediocre casts available at the Met for th...
  • manou: Keks - this is very funny. My husband and I read it at the G...
  • Nerva Nelli: I was lucky to hear Ciofi sing Lucie in Paris in 2002 with T...
  • Nerva Nelli: Yes, it's high time they brought him back in a leading part....
  • La Cieca: There is also the point that the Met is very strict about it...
  • armerjacquino: Ciofi has hardly ever sung outside Europehttp://ciofi.bl...
  • Quanto Painy Fakor: Even though Kyle Kettleson is known in major roles in intern...

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NYCO/union talks break down

Local 802 and AGMA have rejected New York City Opera’s “final offer,” placing the company at an “impasse,” according to an email from George Steel to members of the company’s board. Read more »

LOC to toddle as planned

This just in: Lyric Opera of Chicago and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) have reached a tentative contract agreement for the coming season. All performances will proceed as planned.

Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, picket a little more

This just landed in La Cieca’s inbox:  “We regret to inform you that Lyric Opera of Chicago season is in peril. Yesterday Lyric advised us that if we do not accept their one year demand for a two week reduction of employment, an elimination of wage parity with the orchestra, and an additional 5.2 % reduction in salaries that they will lock out AGMA members on Monday, August 22, 2011.” Read more »

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Must… reach… endowment…

The Man of Steel is in danger again, this time from a new gang of supervillains: Lila and DeWitt Wallace. [NYT]

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War talk

Although La Cieca (center) has never played Fort Sumter, she thinks she can recognize the sound of a shot being fired. A forwarded email, after the jump.

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Indecent proposals

On the eve of New York City Opera’s announcement of their 2011-12 season tomorrow at the Guggenheim Museum, La Cieca has been forwarded an email sent by AGMA to its members offering details of what Alan Gordon says are the company’s proposals for the beginning of contract negotiations. The text of the email after the jump.

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Meet and grate

La Cieca’s spy attended today’s confab between George Steel (representing NYCO) and 29 singers and production personnel (AGMA) and 24 orchestra members (Local 802). The spy’s observations after the jump.  

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The seasons alter

La Cieca is informed that the New York City Opera and AGMA are meeting today for discussions relating to the company’s 2011-12 schedule—which, by the way, is supposed to be announced sometime this week, but La Cieca isn’t holding her breath.

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