Locker room talk Locker room talk

The Great Domingo Question loomed above all other topics in the sleepy month of August.

on September 01, 2019 at 11:32 AM
BASTA: Call me by your game BASTA: Call me by your game

It was already nearly two o’clock in the morning, late for a work night, and Nixon Ben Mahmoud was ashamed to find himself crying real tears.

on January 29, 2018 at 1:34 PM
Girls on horseback Girls on horseback

It’s a fairly traditional post-Patrice-Chereau Ring, set during the Industrial Revolution.

on November 22, 2017 at 7:30 AM
‘Wunder’ of wonders ‘Wunder’ of wonders

Opera Vlaanderen opened its 2017-18 season with a rare staging of Korngold’s Das Wunder der Heliane.

on October 12, 2017 at 11:04 AM
Monday in the park with mike Monday in the park with mike

From up close, the miked opera singer can be a bit tough to take.

on June 13, 2017 at 5:00 PM
And the ‘Angels’ sing And the ‘Angels’ sing

Angels in America reimagined as an actual, full-blown opera.

on June 11, 2017 at 2:03 PM
That is the explanation of the crime That is the explanation of the crime

anatomy theater, receiving its New York premiere Saturday night at this year’s Prototype Festival, is a conceptual exercise in which nothing, absolutely nothing is left to the imagination.

on January 08, 2017 at 9:46 AM
Mourning glory Mourning glory

I can think of no other role that provides the most unique promise of humiliation, and consequently the most opportunity for glory.

on December 06, 2016 at 4:59 PM
The naked truth The naked truth

Highlights of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-2020 season, according the always intriguing Met Future Wiki.

on December 06, 2016 at 8:29 AM
Naked and afraid Naked and afraid

Which opera director’s new position seems to have gone to his head? At a recent round of auditions, he reportedly encouraged the singers to disrobe.

on May 03, 2016 at 10:00 AM
It’s just one letter, but it makes a vas deferens It’s just one letter, but it makes a vas deferens

“But enough about Lou Tellegen,” Miss Farrar snapped.

on August 27, 2015 at 10:49 AM
Dead nacred Dead nacred

La Cieca (not pictured) surrenders, cher public: she can no longer bear the burden of opposing ignorant, hysterical pearl-clutching on the internet. The clutchers have won.

on June 02, 2015 at 10:40 AM
Cooting edge Cooting edge

Fans of the “context-free laundry list” school of opera criticism will be happy to know that “the world’s preeminent philosopher in the field of aesthetics,” Roger Scruton, has now shouldered the white man’s burden of rescuing opera from interpretation.

on May 19, 2015 at 3:35 PM
Words and music Words and music

As is happening increasingly in opera productions today (e.g., the Rosenkavalier in Stuttgart), the action of Moses und Aron at the Komische Oper begins some minutes before the music does.

on May 15, 2015 at 9:00 AM
(Mighty real) (Mighty real)

A problem with scheduling an opera-intensive trip is that you don’t always hear and see the shows in optimum order.

on May 07, 2015 at 9:42 AM
Et in Arcadia, libido Et in Arcadia, libido

A performance space called the Sheen Center has opened its doors way down the far end of Bleecker Street, a stoner’s throw from where CBGB’s used to thrive beside the itsy-bitsy Amato Opera House. (You never forget your first Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio.)  Sheen Center, sizable and modern and slim on personality, contains two…

on March 22, 2015 at 2:27 PM
Plain and simple Plain and simple

“Michael Volle is not into bling,” begins an article in ACT-O, the glossy magazine of the Grand Théâtre de Genève.

on March 12, 2015 at 10:00 AM
Females on the beach Females on the beach

Karita Mattila is a gift to this planet.

on February 05, 2015 at 10:35 AM
Wish upon a star Wish upon a star

At what moment does a “rising star” become simply a “star”?

on January 15, 2015 at 3:00 PM
Rule number 11 Rule number 11

Cher public, you may remember that about 18 years ago a parterre writer called Dr. Repertoire came up with a handy list of rules for stage directors.

on August 22, 2014 at 3:17 AM
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby! Take another little piece of my heart now, baby!

George Benjamin’s 2012 opera Written on Skin received great acclaim at its opening at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, and the Royal Opera quickly mounted it in March 2013.

on April 25, 2014 at 8:30 AM
Borne back ceaselessly into the past Borne back ceaselessly into the past

So, cher public, have you heard about this fabulous new plan to revive the New York City Opera under the direction of Michael Capasso?

on January 29, 2014 at 7:48 PM
You didn’t notice the wallpaper? You didn’t notice the wallpaper?

In the interest of absolute accuracy (for surely the cher public deserves no less!) La Cieca offers the following correction.

on January 23, 2013 at 6:39 PM
Notte e giorno faticar Notte e giorno faticar

At last, the quintessential targeted reader of parterre.com has been identified.

on January 17, 2013 at 12:15 PM