Headshot of La Cieca

Cher Public

  • WindyCityOperaman: Happy 91st (95th?) birthday soprano Inge Borkh httpv://www.youtub e.com/watch?v=kRas TYiCipM... 7:03 AM
  • Ercole Farnese: Mr. Mack has been way too lenient towards Ms. Voigt. I haven’t seen/heard this DVD, so I... 6:59 AM
  • Feldmarschallin: The new Siegfried which opens on Pfinstsonntag at BSO. Funny that Lance Ryan sounds Eastern... 2:56 AM
  • MontyNostry: … and does Stemme’s voice really have a “bright sheen”? Oh, I’d... 2:55 AM
  • MrGuy1804: You are right on the money. I was not terribly impressed with any of the singing. There were a few... 12:29 AM
  • Camille: That was fun, thanks! I had completely forgotten Eastern Airlines, the Wings of Man. With a name like... 12:22 AM
  • Henry Holland: Thanks! Too bad they didn’t do Der Zwerg instead of the (wonderful) Puccini. The LA Opera... 12:09 AM
  • Camille: Thanks Blue, for the review. Lord, what are “earthy colorings”? 12:06 AM

Witch way out

The definitive evidence that the Met was far too wildly optimistic when scheduling Armida. Read more »

Ready, set…

costelloCongratulations to tenor Stephen Costello, who today was officially awarded the ceremonial title of  Villazóneinspringer at the Vienna State Opera.

No, actually, he’s jumping into two performances of La boheme, replacing Rolando Villazón, on September 6 and 9. Read more »

CAMI-kaze?

the_shining_blood_elevators“The halls of CAMI are not a happy place right now,” an insider informs La Cieca, and according to information received by parterre.com more than half a dozen long-time Columbia Artists Management personnel have not had their contracts renewed in recent weeks. Read more »

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Nobody nose

Three seasons of cancellations, a schlocky “reality” show, that haircut, and now… Rolando Villazón has gone full “Dr. Patch.” [Yahoo News]

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Irina Arkhipova 1925 – 2010

The legendary Russian mezzo-soprano has died after a brief illness. She was 85.

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The People’s Courtesan

Like Liza Minnelli at the Palace or Nomi Malone in Goddess, Renée Fleming‘s Thaïs is better understood as diva event than Gesamtkunstwerk. It’s an opportunity to watch a star lady do her voodoo in a work that exists largely to showcase her glamour and appeal.

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Featuring that miracle of the age, electric light

In Zurich, the 20th century has apparently never ended. Opening on Thursday, a “revival” of Nabucco conducted by Nello Santi, directed by Jonathan Miller, and starring Maria Guleghina (Abigaille), Juan Pons (Nabucco) and Carlo Colombara (Zaccaria). Unfortunately, budget constraints prevent us from hearing the Fenena of Agnes Baltsa…

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The rest is silence

On Monday, a A solo recital by Cheryl Studer sold so few tickets that the organizers of the event didn’t even bother to show up at the venue on the night of the performance. [Tagesspiegel]

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