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Cher Public

  • Porgy Amor: I considered throwing it my vote too, because I truly did love it, and I knew PARSIFAL didn’t... 6:24 AM
  • manou: Can I go to Florence instead and have an ice-cream at the Granduca? Whatever it costs will be worth it.... 6:12 AM
  • Baltsamic Vinaigrette: Five out of five, manou. Award yourself a trip to Rome for the Titian exho (if it’s... 5:44 AM
  • manou: OK Baltsamic – I have restrained myself long enough: Bill Gates Marc Almond Holly Hunter Jeremy Irons... 4:47 AM
  • m. croche: Er, “filled̶ 1;. 3:52 AM
  • m. croche: At the time, I had recently come off of a few rounds of chemo. I was filed with sympathy. 3:51 AM
  • Feldmarschallin: Well it certainly didn’t take long to bring up this old canard again. Mara Zampieri had a... 2:49 AM
  • johnkb: We must be sisters from different misters. My Scotto story started with a MET tour to Memphis and her... 1:07 AM

Encore! Encore!

For tomorrow afternoon’s chat at La Casa della Cieca, your doyenne offers an unusual double blast from the past. Read more »

The return of Unnatural Acts of Opera

la_cieca_singsAfter years (or was it months) wandering der Irrnis und der Leiden Pfade, La Cieca has returned to the broadcast booth for another episode of Unnatural Acts of Opera.

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The view from Kareol

kleiber_thumbPoet of the podium Carlos Kleiber leads the final minutes of Tristan und Isolde from the mystic abyss of Bayreuth, circa 1975. Read more »

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auld lang syne

Today La Cieca prepares to usher in the New Year in the way that has been traditional among her people for thousands of years…

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kiss my assyrian

La Cieca is proud to “hostess” a classic performance of Semiramide as performed at La Scala on 17 December 1962. Heading the starry cast are Joan Sutherland (Semiramide), Giulietta Simionato (Arsace), Wladimiro Ganzarolli (Assur) and Gianni Raimondi (Idreno). You can listen to the first act on the Unnatural Acts of Opera page.

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magnum “forza”

La Cieca is delighted to present, by special arrangement with VAI, the legendary “New Orleans Forza” as the latest installment of Unnatural Acts of Opera.  This live performance was recorded in March of 1953 and stars Zinka Milanov, Mario del Monaco and Leonard Warren.  You can hear the first act after the jump. 

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rondo finale

Antonina (Leyla Gencer) regrets the error of her ways in the third act of Donizetti’s Belisario, the latest episode of Unnatural Acts of Opera. 

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double dip of donizetti

On tonight’s episode of Unnatural Acts of Opera, we hear the second act of Donizetti’s Belisario. But we won’t hear Leyla Gencer during this act, as her character remains offstage for the duration. However, La Cieca has added an extra act of Donizetti (with la Gencer onstage the whole time!) as bonus. Hear it after the jump.

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