In news that La Cieca is pretty sure has fallen far below Jeffrey Vanderveen‘s radar screen, a further casting rumor for next season’s Rienzi at Opera Orchestra of New York has emerged. As if Lauren Flanigan (Irene) were not superstar enough to supply name recognition for the company’s 47th production of the Wagner opus, the role of Adriano, written for the 19th century’s foremost singing actress Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, will be sung here in New York by none other than … Eva Urbanová?

Oh, what fun Mmes. Flanigan and Urbanová should have backstage, swapping stories about their triumphant Met performances as the Foreign Princess in Rusalka! And how much more enjoyment will we, the public, take in recalling a time when OONY presented operas people actually wanted to hear featuring singers people actually had heard of!

UPDATE: On the other hand, La Cieca hears that we just may get Sam Ramey as Creonte in Medea, which would certainly be luxury casting. Though, again, it doesn’t help that Rienzi any.