Luisa Miller
Starring Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Bonaldo Giaiotti and James Morris, conducted by James Levine. From January 20, 1979.
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.
Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak
“The dynamic husband-and-wife duo of tenor Roberto Alagna and soprano Aleksandra Kurzak give a concert of arias and duets, accompanied by string quintet, from an outdoor terrace in Èze, France, with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean.”
La bohème
Starring Kristine Opolais, Susanna Phillips, Vittorio Grigolo, Massimo Cavalletti, Patrick Carfizzi and Oren Gradus, conducted by Stefano Ranzani. From April 5, 2014.
“The great actors are the luminous ones”
Born on this day in 1879 actress Ethel Barrymore.
Turandot
Starring Nina Stemme, Anita Hartig, Marco Berti and Alexander Tsymbalyuk, conducted by Paolo Carignani. From January 30, 2016.
NYCO, yet again?
New York City Opera (remember them?) have announced a program for spring 2021, with repertoire consistent with the company’s recent policy of equal-opportunity pandering.
Rigoletto
Starring Christiane Eda-Pierre, Isola Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Louis Quilico and Ara Berberian, conducted by James Levine. From December 15, 1981.
Future indefinite
Are plans for reopening America’s opera houses in the winter of 2020-2021 unrealistic?
“It’s the giant squid!”
Born on this day in 1881 filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille.
Carmen
Starring Aleksandra Kurzak, Clémentine Margaine, Roberto Alagna and Alexander Vinogradov, conducted by Louis Langrée. From February 2, 2019.
Manon Lescaut
Starring Karita Mattila, Marcello Giordani and Dwayne Croft, conducted by James Levine. From February 16, 2008.
Hadrian
“With its blend of history, political intrigue, and fantastical invention, all woven into a heartbreaking love story, Hadrian gives one of history’s greatest queer romances the full, grand opera treatment.”
“An unusual display of jewels”
Another point of etiquette is that a gentleman must never leave the ladies of his own box alone.
La cambiale di matrimonio
In order to spare the cher public the agony of sitting through the Met’s Don Giovanni again, La Cieca offers this brand-new video from the Teatro Rossini di Pesaro.
Singing in the reign
Happy 61st birthday soprano Maria Guleghina!
Agrippina
Starring Brenda Rae, Joyce DiDonato, Kate Lindsey, Iestyn Davies, Duncan Rock and Matthew Rose, conducted by Harry Bicket. From February 29, 2020.
Das Rheingold
Frank Castorf’s staging of the Ring, premiered in 2013 and filmed in 2016, provoked controversy right from the beginning. For Castorf, the Rheingold of our days is oil; thus he places the first part of the tetralogy at a gas station on Route 66.
Parsifal
Starring Waltraud Meier, Siegfried Jerusalem, Bernd Weikl and Kurt Moll, conducted by James Levine. From March 28, 1992.
Madama Butterfly
Starring Kristine Opolais, Maria Zifchak, Roberto Alagna and Dwayne Croft, conducted by Karel Mark Chichon. From April 2, 2016.
A pride of Leos
Born on this day in 1619 soprano Barbara Strozzi.
Simon Boccanegra
Starring Kiri Te Kanawa, Plácido Domingo, Vladimir Chernov and Robert Lloyd, conducted by James Levine. From January 26, 1995.
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Starring Erin Morley, Hibla Gerzmava, Kate Lindsey, Christine Rice, Vittorio Grigolo and Thomas Hampson, conducted by Yves Abel. From January 31, 2015.
Der Rosenkavalier
Camilla Nylund, Günther Groissböck, Michèle Losier and Nadine Sierra star, under the baton of Zubin Mehta.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).