The real problem with opera today, according to Marcelo “Mouth of the South” Àlvarez? Could it be tubby tenors with teeny voices? Actually, no. The problem is… blogs. Read more »
It is La Cieca’s sad duty to publish the following example of “This Diva Looks Like That Diva.” Read more »
La Cieca’s spy L’Inconnu in the City of Brotherly Love (which, given the circumstances, she supposes she should specify is Philadelphia) whispers:
La Cieca favorite Stephen Costello is one of the only worthwhile reasons to catch David DiChiera‘s new opera Cyrano premiering tomorrow night at the Opera Company of Philadelphia. The men truly led the way in this handsome production of a musically tedious opera. Also starring are Barihunks Marian Pop as Cyrano and Daniel Teadt as his sidekick Robin, I mean, Le Bret. Costello sings beautifully, but as even he himself commented, must watch his ever-expanding waistline if he does not want to move rapidly into the realm of Chunken-tenor.
UPDATE: La Cieca has just debriefed another of her phalanx of Philly moles (let’s just call him L’Anonyme):
Attended the final dress for Cyrano here in Philadelphia yesterday. What a dud. Even the chorus hates the opera as many almost fell asleep onstage. Anyway, Stephen sang beautifully as the dramatically important but musically skimpy Christian. I’m not sure if there was anything higher than ‘A’ in the role. He got a rousing ovation as many faculty and students from his high school Alma Mater were there.
He was kind enough to chat with folks and pose for photos on the street outside the theater.
He was accompanied by Ailyn, the delightful fianceed one. Really, though, she was funny, charming and very sweet. She let on that Stephen did indeed ‘catch something’ in London and so wasn’t in tip-top shape for the recital there.
Marian Pop as Cyrano was no slouch, either. However, for such a tour-de-force role, there weren’t many gratifying musical climaxes. The last few minutes up to the final curtain with his death scene were written so matter-of-factly, that you really didn’t care, and were glad the whole mess was over.
…I wanted to drop you a little note about our babytenor. BTW, he’s thin as a rail!
Officially, Anna Netrebko is expecting her baby “this autumn,” and La Cieca of course extends her and Erwin Schrott all the best wishes. However, let’s take a peek at a few recent photos of Netrebko… [Traviata at Covent Garden, early January] [Arriving at the Opernball in Vienna, February 1] [On set of Boheme film, around February 1] [Recording studio in Valencia, February 5] Now, La Cieca has polled a few sopranos-with-children about how, well, “far along” The Nebs looks in these photos. The consensus: “she’s due in July.”
La Cieca was just recalling that soon after she arrived in New York back in 19-mumble-mumble, she screwed up her courage to audition for that most august of impresarios, Ira Siff of La Gran Scena Opera. Back in those days your doyenne thought she had what it took to be a great prima donna (including the avoirdupois, actually) and so, as they say, sing it she did. Dear Ira showed patience bordering on the masochistic as La Cieca screamed her way through her warhorse arias: “Suicidio”, “Pace, pace mio dio”, “Dich teure Halle,” “Una voce poco fa” and (yes!) “Casta [...]
In the second act of Carmen, the eponymous gypsy says “Holà !.. Lillas Pastia, holà !.. nous mangerons tout… tu me régales… holà ! holà …. Tiens, attrape… et apporte-nous des fruits confits; apporte-nous des bonbons, apporte-nous des oranges, apporte-nous du Manzanilla… apporte-nous de tout ce que tu as, de tout, de tout…” Well, that line is cut in the current Met revival of the opera, and La Cieca is not quite sure that’s only because Olga Borodina refuses to do spoken dialogue. Perhaps Peter Gelb has placed a ban on all onstage snacking, since, as La Cieca’s spy at the Met reports: [...]
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