Some disenchanted evening Some disenchanted evening

Today Chris’s Cache offers Angela Meade in Les vêpres siciliennes, along with a complementary I vespri siciliani starring Carol Vaness, another favorite American soprano.

on April 05, 2023 at 10:49 AM
Diva moment Diva moment

Angela Meade, reportedly flown in at the very last minute to take on the role of Norma, absolutely triumphed, pulling out all the stops to deliver a commanding performance that should, indeed, go down in history.

on March 19, 2023 at 9:50 AM
“All things seem possible in May” “All things seem possible in May”

Opera Orchestra of New York (remember them?) will present Gaetano Donizetti’s Parisina D’este.

on March 11, 2016 at 7:48 PM
OONY way the wind blows OONY way the wind blows

Continuing in its long and proud tradition of mystery and intrigue, Opera Orchestra of New York has announced a concert or some other sort of music-related event for May 4, 2016.

on December 19, 2015 at 10:57 AM
The rite stuff The rite stuff

Remember that time you went to the opera and the entire evening was perfection?

on December 08, 2015 at 9:00 AM
21st century blues 21st century blues

Your doyenne peers into the future, or, to be more accurate, into the Future Met Wiki, to reveal the latest rumors on casting and repertoire.

on May 14, 2015 at 9:00 AM
All futures great and small All futures great and small

The Metropolitan Opera yesterday afternoon was an uncommonly cozy place, as the auditorium was packed to the rafters with friends and family members of the nine National Council Audition Finalists.

on March 23, 2015 at 7:21 AM
Bows and arias Bows and arias

Whenever opera-lovers are canvassed about what neglected operas they hunger to see revived, the resulting lists inevitably feature a goodly number of grand operas, those once wildly popular monstrosities–particularly by Meyerbeer–written primarily for Paris in the mid-19th century.

on December 08, 2014 at 3:09 PM
The curse of drink The curse of drink

Two operas both alike in dignity, set in dimly lit Renaissance towns ruled by seething, conspiratorial courts.

on July 21, 2014 at 11:46 AM
You don’t have to be Druids to love it You don’t have to be Druids to love it

“The Met’s production, originally directed by John Copley, is still a hideous, confusing mess. But with Ms. Meade and Ms. Barton acting with moving subtlety, singing generously and feeling deeply, it was hard to care.”

on October 25, 2013 at 6:17 PM
We’ll settle that tonight! We’ll settle that tonight!

La Cieca has been wining, dining and otherwise wooing her Met connection (pictured above) and he (or is it she?) has come across with some tidbits about upcoming seasons at Casa Gelb.

on August 14, 2013 at 3:59 PM
Les vêpres de Westchester Les vêpres de Westchester

The big news from Bel Canto at Caramoor’s presentation of Les Vêpres Siciliennes last Saturday is far from unexpected.

on July 07, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Ed io quest’Angela osava maledir! Ed io quest’Angela osava maledir!

Angela Meade will sing the role of Leonora in tomorrow afternoon’s performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill.

on January 11, 2013 at 1:43 PM
New York has neon, Berlin has bars, but ah! Caramoor! New York has neon, Berlin has bars, but ah! Caramoor!

This summer at Caramoor, Will Crutchfield (not pictured) will conduct two Verdi operas written for the Académie Royale de Musique.

on January 09, 2013 at 3:20 PM
Bea in the bonnet Bea in the bonnet

Everyone who revives Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda, as the Collegiate Chorale did at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday night, calls the piece an “overlooked masterpiece.”

on December 06, 2012 at 11:54 AM
The Beatrice generation The Beatrice generation

Beatrice di Tenda was a problem child, Vincenzo Bellini an alternately protective and disparaging parent.

on December 04, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Half full Half full

Opera Orchestra of New York has announced their 2012-2013 season of only two performances.

on November 15, 2012 at 6:29 PM
Our retrospection will now be all to the future Our retrospection will now be all to the future

La Cieca predicts you won’t be seeing any puritans at the Met next season, except of course for the ones who slouch around during intermission hissing, “You call that a trill?”

on October 22, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Scent of mystery Scent of mystery

La Cieca has been sniffing around her generally reliable (and fragrant) sources, and she thinks she has pieced together a list of the dozen operas to be featured in the 2013-2014 season of “The Met: Live in HD.”

on October 07, 2012 at 2:17 PM
Red sauce Red sauce

La Cieca has put her little grey cells to work and deduced that Opera Orchestra of New York will present two performances next season…

on August 08, 2012 at 9:51 PM

La Cieca hears that soprano Angela Meade has been named the winner of the 2011 Richard Tucker Award. (Photo: Marty Sohl, Metropolitan Opera)

on April 26, 2011 at 7:38 AM

“…by any standard, Meade’s is a very fine Norma — and, as a first attempt at this Mount Everest of a role, it’s simply a miracle.” [New York Post]

on July 13, 2010 at 7:50 AM