A certain theatrical precision A certain theatrical precision

Sondra Radvanovsky was a force of nature as Tosca on Thursday night at the Met.

on December 04, 2021 at 9:59 AM
In my very own private hell In my very own private hell

No, we don’t really need another “Orpheus” opera. Or, rather, we don’t need this one.

on November 24, 2021 at 11:24 PM
Not really about ‘La bohème’ Not really about ‘La bohème’

What is there to say about the Franco Zeffirelli Bohème? What is left to say?

on November 12, 2021 at 2:48 PM
Turandot doesn’t exist Turandot doesn’t exist

It’s back to business as usual at the Met, for better and for worse.

on October 14, 2021 at 8:00 AM
A wig and a prayer A wig and a prayer

A snarky commentator might dub last night at the Met “Boris of the divo hair flip” but that would do a disservice to a serious, often effective performance of the challenging original version of Mussorgsky’s masterpiece.

on September 29, 2021 at 11:23 AM
Playing with ‘Fire’ Playing with ‘Fire’

With composer Terence Blanchard and librettist Kasi Lemmons‘ incendiary Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the Met makes long overdue history and Will Liverman ascends to superstardom.

on September 28, 2021 at 1:01 PM
Great and happy, but not quite live Great and happy, but not quite live

This was a great and happy event, but it wasn’t so much a musical one.

on September 07, 2021 at 11:14 AM
Diane Zola departs Diane Zola departs

La Cieca has received a copy of a message, apparently from the Metropolitan Opera, announcing the departure of Diane Zola from the company.

on August 19, 2021 at 6:34 PM
Soft opening Soft opening

As the Met gears up for its first performances in a year and a half. the company is already canceling shows in the early fall.

on July 13, 2021 at 12:22 AM
I am a victim of telephone I am a victim of telephone

For the Met, high ticket costs, hostile unions and COVID are only part of the problem, according to performer, teacher and writer David Rohde.

on May 17, 2021 at 9:43 AM
(Another) Change of Season (Another) Change of Season

Last year at this time, performance arts organizations in NYC were announcing that the COVID pandemic would force closures through the summer. We here at parterre box, having honed our mantic powers predicting the precise timing of a singer’s vocal collapse, foresaw a grimmer reality.

on May 12, 2021 at 10:18 AM
Who wants to ‘Live’ forever? Who wants to ‘Live’ forever?

The Metropolitan Opera announces two further concerts in the Met Stars Live in Concert series.

on April 08, 2021 at 2:24 PM
Put a ‘Ring’ on it Put a ‘Ring’ on it

The eventually reopened Metropolitan Opera promises a swift return to its status quo ante as a farm team for the English National Opera, sharing the London company’s new Ring cycle directed by vieillard terrible Richard Jones.

on February 24, 2021 at 12:20 PM
The Met offers a tradeoff The Met offers a tradeoff

The catch: Employees would have to agree to a 30 percent cut in pay, half of which would be restored once the Met’s box office returned to pre-pandemic levels.

on November 20, 2020 at 6:27 PM
Take the money and run Take the money and run

The Met settled with disgraced former music director James Levine for a cool $3.5 million.

on September 21, 2020 at 12:09 PM
Dreaming a world Dreaming a world

Fueled by a fierce intelligence, deep earnestness, exceptional eloquence, and social media savvy, Joyce DiDonato is a presence and a power, as much when speaking and thinking as when singing. Who better to imagine a program that would suit this (we hope) unique moment?

on September 12, 2020 at 4:29 PM
Press conference at the Met Press conference at the Met

Stay tuned as La Cieca attends this Zoom press conference with Peter Gelb and special guest zoomers.

on July 11, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Bad news bared Bad news bared

The Metropolitan Opera is heading for a very rocky couple of years.

on June 05, 2020 at 11:33 AM
Met postpones opening to December 31 Met postpones opening to December 31

The Metropolitan Opera announced today that the company has made the difficult decision to cancel the first few months of its 2020–21 season, based on current information regarding the ongoing health crisis. The new season is now scheduled to begin on December 31, 2020, with a special gala performance, the details of which will be shared at a later date.

on June 01, 2020 at 4:02 PM
A change of season A change of season

What options are there for the Met and the other performing arts organizations trying to envision restarting performances in the fall?

on May 19, 2020 at 12:28 PM
Met cancels remainder of season Met cancels remainder of season

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Metropolitan Opera announced today that the company has canceled the remainder of the 2019–20 season, which was to have ended on May 9, 2020.

on March 19, 2020 at 1:31 PM
Così fan tutte Così fan tutte

A Saturday afternoon iteration of this season’s ubiquitous revival.

on March 07, 2020 at 12:28 PM
Well equipped Well equipped

While last year’s finals were dominated by early nineteenth-century bel canto arias, this year’s finalists took on a remarkably broad range of music from a variety of repertoires.

on March 04, 2020 at 11:56 AM
A dark drab dud A dark drab dud

I never imagined I’d see such a rote park-and-bark Wagner production created in 2020!

on March 03, 2020 at 12:16 PM