Sommo giubilo, Eccellenza! Sommo giubilo, Eccellenza!

Peter Gelb announces that the Met will return its 1980s glory days as a hideously overpriced theme park and David McVicar whinges about literally everything.

on December 28, 2017 at 8:00 AM
“You just want to kiss yourself, you sound so great” “You just want to kiss yourself, you sound so great”

“Are you kidding? I’m having it put in my casket.”

on December 22, 2017 at 10:57 AM
Tales of the Bavarian baloney pony Tales of the Bavarian baloney pony

In November, everyone wanted to hear more about Jonas Kaufmann‘s Johnson.

on December 01, 2017 at 9:15 AM
Gray lady Gray lady

Denigrating myths about opera abound.

on October 31, 2017 at 10:04 AM
Peter Gelb admits defeat Peter Gelb admits defeat

” Mr. Gelb chuckled and said, ‘I’m not going to find out’.”

on October 27, 2017 at 8:56 AM
Una vittima della sventura Una vittima della sventura

Remember the disastrous 2010 Traviata at the Met, “conducted” by Leonard Slatkin?

on September 25, 2017 at 12:36 PM
You’ve got to climb Mount Everest You’ve got to climb Mount Everest

In this Sunday’s New York Times, Our Own JJ (not pictured except in spirit) examines why Bellini’s Norma should be considered “the Everest of Opera.”

on September 20, 2017 at 11:22 AM
Ha vuote le occhiaie – ma pure (e chi il crede?!) Ha vuote le occhiaie – ma pure (e chi il crede?!)

Today, the New York Times offers the strongest suggestion yet that Cecilia Bartoli will bring her Norma to New York sooner rather than later.

on September 01, 2017 at 12:20 PM
Mimecraft Mimecraft

Our Own JJ (not pictured) muses on the difficulty of staging Mozart’s greatest opera in his latest piece for the New York Times.

on August 11, 2017 at 5:45 PM
The new journalism The new journalism

La Cieca wishes to extend her heartiest congratulations to that journalistic power couple the da Fonseca-Wollheim-Stephenses.

on April 29, 2017 at 10:19 AM
There is nothing you can take to relieve this pleasant ache There is nothing you can take to relieve this pleasant ache

“There is a water sprite (called a merman by the Juilliard), a witch and other flora and fauna of Czech folklore.”

on February 06, 2017 at 2:56 PM
Fixture Fixture

“When you’re really quiet, you can hear the tinkling when they stop.”

on August 21, 2016 at 12:35 PM
People may say I can’t write, but no one can ever say I didn’t write People may say I can’t write, but no one can ever say I didn’t write

An aging eccentric—who has for decades occupied a dubious place on the fringes of New York’s musical life—today saw a lifelong dream fulfilled.

on August 09, 2016 at 4:58 PM
The present future The present future

Well, when the New York Times goes into a tizzy, you know times are hard, cher public, but your doyenne is ready to ride to the rescue, hakeo don’t panic. 

on May 06, 2016 at 10:00 AM
Command-W Command-W

“In opera, voice is everything.”

on February 17, 2016 at 10:49 AM
Not nobody, not nohow! Not nobody, not nohow!

“Mr. Luisi won praise replacing Mr. Levine time after time, particularly in a costly version of Wagner’s Ring cycle—though, perhaps in a sign of the situation’s delicacy, the two conductors have never met in person.”

on February 04, 2016 at 10:25 AM
The double negative has led to proof positive The double negative has led to proof positive

La Cieca thinks she knows who the murderer is.

on February 03, 2016 at 10:50 AM
The toothless tiger rules the restless jungle The toothless tiger rules the restless jungle

It’s up to you, cher public, to try to decide for yourself what, if anything, this bizarre story in the New York Times means.

on February 01, 2016 at 11:26 PM
80, girls, 80 80, girls, 80

The Met’s pilot program of octogenarian outreach looks to be a smashing success.

on December 20, 2015 at 12:01 PM
You’re the pants on a Roxy usher You’re the pants on a Roxy usher

Count on the New York Times to include in a photo caption all the information you really wanted to know.

on December 03, 2015 at 12:22 AM
Beige like me Beige like me

Leave it to the New York Times to present a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred debate on the explosive subject of race, with Anthony Tommasini and Ben Brantley boldly in agreement throughout.

on October 01, 2015 at 12:17 PM
The puff preliminary The puff preliminary

Anna, Bart and Peter talk about the Met’s new season with the always engaging Michael Cooper of the New York Times.

on September 18, 2015 at 7:40 PM
“We’re looking at everything” “We’re looking at everything”

Naming rights, Sunday performances, an extension of the Met’s lobby forward into Lincoln Center Plaza . . . Peter Gelb puts all that and more on the table.

on September 16, 2015 at 12:33 PM
“Venez-vous me mettre en bustier, cher auteur de mes maux?” “Venez-vous me mettre en bustier, cher auteur de mes maux?”

“Few operas better represent a moment such as ours, when stability and long-held certainties are hard to come by, particularly in regard to sexuality.”

on August 03, 2015 at 7:45 PM