advice_cieca_collins_thumbLast week’s listening experiment showed that, left to their own devices, most folks spring into instant inertia. So maybe gentle prodding and encouragement would do some good. 

11:00-2:00 LRT KLASIKA: La sonnambula – Is Natalie Dessay really Alvin the Chipmunk in drag?

1:00-2:15 AUDITORIUM: Das Lied von der Erde — Peter Sieffert and Thomas Hampson. Relax, it’ll be over before you know it.

1:00-4:30 BARTOK RADIO: Prince Igor – Yes, there was Russian opera before Valery Gergiev.

1:00-5:00 CBC TWO: Rossini’s Otello — This is an eye-opener if you haven’t heard it before.

1:00-4:00 DEUTSCHLANDRADIO KULTUR: Die Passagierin — Who was it heard this thing and really loved it? Oh yeah, me.

1:00-4:00 DR P2: Hasse’s Pyramus and Thisbe — This is the version without Flute the Bellows-Mender and Schneider the Tailor

1:00-5:30 ESPACE MUSIQUE: Faust –Beczala, Isokowski, not bad.

1:00-4:00 KBYU: Das Rheingold from Los Angeles — “And — in the Center Ring — Achim Freyer and his Wonder Dogs.”

1:00-4:30 NPR World of Opera: The Cunning Little Vixen from Florence — Isabel Bayrakhdarian makes this one worth a visit.

1:00-5:00 RADIO 4 NETHERLANDS: Lohengrin from Bayreuth — Anyone who hasn’t heard it already should drag out their Jonas Kaufmann posters and Kleenex.

1:00-5:00 RADIO CLASICA DE ESPANA: Eugene Onegin from Vienna — Okay, so Jonas doesn’t do it for you, how about Dima?

1:00-5:00 RTP ANTENA 2: Agrippina — Hallenberg, Genaux, I’ve heard better.

1:00-6:00 WFMT NETWORK: Siegfried from Los Angeles. “And now, Achim Freyer and his Flying Rutabagas.”

1:00-5:00 WRTI: Die Walküre from Los Angeles. “Achim Freyer, all alone, without a net.”

1:30-4:00 NRK KLASSISK: Carmina Burana — For all you Katherine Jenkins fans.

2:00-6:30 Numerous stations: Die Walküre from Bayreuth. — What if they gave a Ring and nobody came?

2:00-4:30 RADIO STEPHANSDOM: Siegfried Wagner’s Banadietrich — My pick. I’m on this big Siegfried Wagner kick. His Heidenkönig is really pretty good.

As always, the chat room is open on Saturday afternoon at La Casa della Cieca.

(Listings courtesty of Our Own Betsy Ann Bobolink.)

La Cieca

James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.

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