Per the Met’s press office, “Jane Archibald will make her Met debut as Ophélie in the Met’s new production of Thomas’s Hamlet, singing the role on April 5 and 9.”
La Cieca is informed that tomorrow’s final dress rehearsal of Hamlet is as closed as closed can be: covers, Met staff and a few handpicked guests of Peter Gelb are the only humans to be allowed in the auditorium as the Thomas is teched. It’s natural enough, since — as we all know — the opening night Ophélie, Marlis Petersen, will not be present for this last runthrough, busy as she is singing Medea in Vienna gleichzeitzig. This veil of secrecy is like catnip to La Cieca, of course, so should you, cher pube, be one of the chosen few to get a glimpse of Simon Keenyside’s Dane, please, please, drop your doyenne an email with all the details!
Forget all the others. You need to read this review of The Nose. [New York Observer]
La Cieca just received an email from Samuel Ramey confirming, "Yes, the comment is from me. Had no idea it would cause such a discussion." (Photo: Ken Howard, Metropolitan Opera)
"The Met's new production of 'The Nose' should be a hit with everyone except headline writers. Had the Shostakovich comedy bombed, they'd quip 'Met blows nose' or 'Don't pick this opera!' But since this sassy, smart show is the highlight of the current opera season, they'll have to settle for something like 'Breath of fresh air'." Our Own JJ reviews The Nose in the New York Post.
So, who do you think said this? It is unfortunate that for the Met's first production of ATTILA they could not do a more "conventional" production. The sets and the costumes had nothing to do with the period of the opera or the characters. I know from having been at rehearsals that the director gave the singers nothing and the set prevented them from doing anything dramatically. The production is a fiasco! The answer is after the jump. Read more »
You know La Cieca wouldn't miss the chance to host a chat on so rare an occasion as today's Met broadcast of Attila. Of course, on the radio you won't get a chance to experience the Miuccia Prada or Herzog & de Meuron contributions, but your doyenne is sure that fellow chatters (chatterers?) will be glad to tell you all about the visuals. The chat begins at 1:00 pm, and the details are after the jump. Read more »
La Cieca may not at the moment comment on last night's premiere of The Nose at the Met since Our Own JJ is working on his review of the piece today. But she wants to encourage the cher public to share their thoughts.
Cher Public