The little gunmetal dress
Sleeveless Anna Netrebko sings the “Letter Scene” from Verdi’s Macbeth.
Questo e Quello
The secret of nymph
Mark Morris’ staging of Acis and Galatea at Lincoln Center is everything good about summer condensed into two hours.
Hello Amanda
Soprano Amanda Majeski will make her Met debut on the opening night of the 2014-2015 season as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, replacing Marina Poplavksaya “who has withdrawn for health reasons.”
Hooterdämmerung?
“It’s no surprise Kim Kardashian likes to dress as if she’s going to the opera each day.”
One charming afternoon
In recent years the enterprising Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble has brightened the usually arid weeks of August in New York City with some worthy operatic showcases for young singers.
Faustian bargain
Two debuts of legendary singers on a single night highlight this performance of Faust from the final season of the Old Met, courtesy of Jungfer Marianne Leizmetzerin.
Brief pause
While we’re waiting for the webcast from Glyndebourne, cher public (and afterward, of course) please talk quietly among yourselves about off-topic and general interest subjects.
Dell’abisso
The news from New York has been rather dire these last few weeks, cher public; La Cieca is the first to admit that.
Fra le tazze più viva è la webchat
Coming up on Sunday, La Cieca (not pictured) will host a live chat during the webcast of La traviata from the Glyndebourne Festival.
“Observer” story pushed off front page
“Camilla hopes the new work will make opera ‘more mainstream.'”
Contrariwise
“The dark clouds hovering over Mr. Gelb should not obscure his very real achievements.”
The lion in stereo
A great man has passed and our consolation is that so much of his art has been preserved for us on recordings.
Timor di me? Security!
“Anna Netrebko (Leonora) is seen during the Il Trovatore photo rehearsal on August 4, 2014 in Salzburg, Austria.”
Breaking apart
I guess we can assume the season is going to happen, because the cast changes are already starting, and the Met’s press office is on it, you guys.
Only connect…
La Cieca has discovered that the independent auditor chosen by the Met, AGMA and Local 802 to report on the company’s finances, Eugene Keilin, is a major donor to the Met, giving at least $25,000 in 2011-2012 according to that season’s Annual Report.
Yours, mine and ours
Our own Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin goes all-American with a performance of The Ballad of Baby Doe starring Ruth Ann Swenson, James Morris and Judith Forst.
Restoring Clara’s notes
Whilst the theatrical doctor attempts to restore the voice of Mrs. Billington, you, the cher public, are asked to fill up the time with discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
On wings of Sondra
Sondra Radvanovsky lent her luminous voice to Chamberfest for what was an unexpectedly unique recital.
Namenlos in Lieb’ umfangen
SiriusXM is broadcasting right now a 1981 performance of Tristan und Isolde featuring Gwyneth Jones (pictured) and Spas Wenkoff, with James Levine conducting the work that season for the first time in his career.
There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about
Those of you who read this site faithfully (and I know there are one or two of you) will be interested to know that a boycott of parterre.com has been organized by fellow blogger Bari-Chunks.
Blood and Sandow
Friend and friend-in-law of parterre box Greg Sandow pours the oil of calm and rational analysis upon the troubled waters of the Met’s current labor negotiations in the most recent installment of his always excellent (not to mention eponymous) blog.
Back from the dead?
AGMA and Local 802 have agreed to the Met’s proposal that Allison Beck, a representative of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, be appointed immediately to mediate negotiations, working with both sides to find a compromise agreement.
Campus radical
“Mr. Burden did his best to wrestle with what looked like a disused Dale Chihuly chandelier, but…”
Tall in the saddle
I put together a video just for a bit of fun today, looking at the standard “warhorse” operas that opera companies tend to throw at us year after year, and offering some alternative operas that could be offered in their place.
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).