Ha, wie begreifst du schnell und wohl! Ha, wie begreifst du schnell und wohl!

Well done all of you for guessing almost all the correct identities of the mysterious Ortruden.

on June 27, 2015 at 2:25 PM
Triskaidekaphilia Triskaidekaphilia

Your task: name the Ortruds, all unlucky 13 of them.

on June 17, 2015 at 12:27 PM
The princess diaries The princess diaries

By special request of Our Own DeCaffarrelli, and courtesy of Mike Richter, here’s a treat: a 1969 performance of La Cenerentola starring the delectable Teresa Berganza.

on May 22, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Strike a Posa Strike a Posa

It’s just a teensy bit late for Verdi’s birthday, but La Cieca thinks you’ll enjoy the latest vocal ID challenge, cher public.

on October 12, 2013 at 7:31 PM
E d’ogni re maggior il Trubadur! E d’ogni re maggior il Trubadur!

La Cieca and DeCaffarrelli unanimously hail Trubadur as winner of the “Ladies in the Dark” vocal ID competition.

on August 15, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Cogito argo sum Cogito argo sum

The front runner in our devilishly difficult “D’amor sull’ali” quiz is Giasone (pictured), with 22 of 30 singers correctly identified.

on August 09, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Ladies in the dark Ladies in the dark

And now, cher public, the vocal identification quiz in excelsis, Leonora’s great Act IV scena from Il trovatore, as sung by 25 sopranos (and five tenors).

on August 03, 2013 at 6:38 PM
Pietà di me! Pietà di me!

Perhaps, you, cher public, will be crying out the above-mentioned phrase when you hear the most recent vocal collage prepared by our dear DeCaffarrelli.

on May 31, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Pyramid scheme Pyramid scheme

Giulio Cesare at the Met proved an evening that added up to much more than the sum of its uneven parts.

on April 05, 2013 at 9:30 AM
In the day of success In the day of success

“I have learned by the perfectest report they have more in them than mortal knowledge.”

on August 01, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Fully equipped with fire and music Fully equipped with fire and music

“The Greek drama affords us one character which, had Shakespeare studied it in the three great tragedians of that people, and then, preserving Greek manners as ably as he did Roman, written it from his own heart and mind, might have been worthy to succeed the greatest achievement of the stage.”

on July 16, 2012 at 10:10 PM
Viva, viva il nostro Alcide! Viva, viva il nostro Alcide!

Congratulations to Cesare 15 (pictured, right) who came, saw and—after a false start or two—conquered in the very challenging “Piangerò” quiz devised by Our Own DeCaffarrelli!

on June 25, 2012 at 11:04 AM
A time to weep A time to weep

Don’t let the headline worry you, cher public, what’s coming up after the jump is meant to be good clean fun, with a prize even.

on June 17, 2012 at 4:37 PM