La Cieca
Anna Netrebko was not pregnant as of this morning, according to Jeffrey D. Vanderveen, managing director of Universal Music Classical Artists Management, who broke the non-news to Opera Chic. La Cieca will continue to keep you updated on the state of the soprano’s gravidity as the situation develops.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
Peter Mattei in Le nozze di Figaro. (La Cieca thinks the production is pretty cool too.) [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rjEipadAxew” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
Earlier today Opera Chic reported on a still fairly vague rumor that Anna Netrebko is pregnant again. Here in New York the information is also pretty vague, but La Cieca has heard that Erwin Schrott (currently in Naples) is spilling spilled beans as proud papas will do. Whispers in New York indicate that the Met…
Too clever by half you are, méchant public: our most recent quiz revealed itself to you as Lohengrin far sooner than La Cieca had hoped. So, this week, something with a bit more visual flair:
La Cieca warns you, music writers, she is going to giggle like a madwoman you begin your article with the line “We owe Chicago Opera Theater tremendous thanks for dragging the smaller operas of Benjamin Britten out of the closet…” [Chicago Tribune]
This is why the YouTube was invented. Hell, this is why the universe was invented. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/CgSib1LVZHQ” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
In honor of her one-third of a century, La Cieca has at long last returned to the Sunnyside Studios to record not one but two episodes of Unnatural Acts of Opera. Finally, cher public, you can hear the last two acts of a legendary performance of Jenufa from Opera Orchestra of New York, on March…
La Cieca was born exactly 33 years ago today.
Vesselina Kasarova is dipping her oar into dramatic mezzo waters, and, well, it’s not exactly smooth sailing. (Thanks, tamerlano, for unearthing this clip!) [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rF1lnvkrRFY” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
“Renee Fleming, 50, allegedly snatched a MasterCard from the victim’s pocketbook in the Green Café on West 57th Street near Sixth Avenue at 2 p.m. on April 15.” [via NY Post; thanks to williams!] UPDATE: According to an email from Mary Lou Falcone (RF’s publicist), it’s a different, non-operatic Renee Fleming the Post was talking…
Congratulations to Stephen Llewellyn, grand prize winner of The Omniscient Mussel‘s #operaplot competition, as adjudicated by Danielle De Niese. Stephen’s plot synopsis read: There was a young lady called Fricka Who…who…*snore* “Wake up – it’s over.” It’s good, I just wish it were quicka. La Cieca is particularly impressed with Stephen’s brevity: in fact, at…
Meanwhile, in Zürich, Vesselina Kasarova stars in The Alessandra Marc Story. And in other “this diva/that diva” news, Tyne Daly is now doing a one-woman show on the life of Eileen Farrell.
It’s been rumored, but you know how La Cieca feels about rumors. Anyway, here’s some solid proof that Joseph Calleja has been engaged for the Met’s new production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann set for a December 3, 2009 opening.
One reason why (in La Cieca’s opinion) the Met’s Ring was long overdue for replacement. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/ZbGw3A9Dg-Q” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
La Cieca received this letter yesterday. If you have reviews, opinion pieces, appreciations, or (as in this case) a Letter to the Doyenne, please email to [email protected]. Saving New York City Opera?
Belated birthday greetings to Giulietta Simionato, still going strong at 99. The following video is from 1964, only two years before her retirement — after a career spanning almost four decades.
In what must be regarded as the season’s most startling volte-face, next month the New York City Opera will perform opera. As part of the River to River Festival, the company will present a tab version of The Magic Flute, Massenet’s La Navarraise and a concert of the usual pops stuff. Performances June 25-27 will…
Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of American dramatic soprano and pedagogue Margaret Harshaw. Margaret Harshaw as Brünnhilde Götterdämmerung – Immolation Scene. George Szell, conductor, Cleveland Orchestra. Recorded November 1, 1956 in Severance Hall, Cleveland.
Out Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, profiled in today’s NYT for his friendly arm-twisting tactics in support of New York’s bill to legalize same-sex marriage, is not only the brother of Rosie O’Donnell, but also the partner of John Banta, who has probably the most festive title of anyone who doesn’t work directly with Issac Mizrahi. Banta…
Cher public, it took you 105 tries, but finally Hans Lick came up with the answer to our most recent Regie puzzler: Mitridate, Re di Ponto. More gritty realism, or at least more grit, infuses our next mystery production.Â
Reflecting on NYCO’s recent raid on its endowment, blogger David Curry writes about “what we might term ‘reasonable transparency’ when Board actions potentially compromise a nonprofit’s operating viability. Of particular interest (to La Cieca anyway) is Curry’s account of his communication (if that is not too strong a word) with Pascal Nadon, the NYCO’s Director…
La Cieca (through her lovely surrogates Jeanette MacDonald and Jane Powell) wish all her cher public and all their dear mothers the joy (?) of this day!
“Local favourite, bass Robert Pomakov was an energetic Bottom…” [via Toronto Star]
