La Cieca is both delighted and heartbroken to announce that, on the occasion of Madame Vera Galupe-Borszkh‘s twentieth Annual Farewell Recital, the celebrated “Traumatic Soprano” will, at long last, take the “F” word literally. Madame Vera will say “addio senza rancor” to New York once and for all when she returns to the Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space for three recitals, March 22nd, 24th, and 25th, 2006 at 8 P.M. In what is billed as “La Gran Scena’s only New York appearance this season,” dear Vera will take center stage with her accustomed “monster concert” program of demanding arias and songs, taking the occasional breather to share selections from her trove of Diva Anecdotes. This year Madame “sinks” arias from La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein, Manon Lescaut, Il trovatore, La Gioconda, and Mefistofele, as well as chansons by Poulenc and Oscar Straus, lieder by Richard Strauss and Schubert, a traditional Mandarin folk song, a Negro spiritual, and a contemporary art song. The “First Lady of Operatic Theatre”(New York) will collaborate with Maestro Sergio Zawa (aka Met assistant conductor Lucy Arner) in a production conceived, written and performed by the indefatigable Ira Siff. Mme. Galupe-Borszkh’s jewels are by Larry Vrba. The trio of performances will transpire at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia (Peter Norton Symphony Space), Broadway at West 95th Street. Tickets (a laughably inexpensive $32.oo) may be obtained at the box office (212) 864-5400; major credit cards are accepted. For further information, do contact Mr. Siff at (212) 460-9124, or at [email protected].