Fill up the stocking
La Cieca has once again hauled out the holly, filled up the stocking, sliced up the fruitcake and hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
Questo e Quello
First steps
There’s something charming and almost irresistible about early Verdi opera. I always equate it to seeing a grade school test from Albert Einstein.
The woman in white
This new DVD
release from EMI of the Royal Opera’s latest production of Puccini’s Tosca will no doubt be snatched up by hordes of grateful fans around the globe.
Crave the date
It only just occurred to La Cieca that the opening night of New York City Opera’s 2013 season—the premiere of their new production of Powder Her Face—is February 15, a date that sounds oddly familiar somehow.
Limited visibility
La Cieca invites her cher public to open their eyes and ears for this week’s discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
Update on great operatic scandals of the 20th century
Noted junk sculptor Dr. Jonathan Miller is now the subject of a biography and it appears he’s mellowed in his old age.
T’would be a sacrilege to fling at another door
People named Jimmy or Placido don’t seem to know this, but when your brains or your bones send you the message, “Hang up the toe-shoes, Bobolink,” do it!
Somewhere there’s a blu-ray of happiness
The 2012 Bayreuth production of Parsifal directed by Stefan Herheim will be released on Blu-ray and DVD by Opus Arte in April 2013.
Notte e giorno criticar
Imagine if someone left Vermeer’s masterpiece “Girl With a Pearl Earring” out in the rain.
May I have the envelope please?
Our Own JJ (not pictured) is delighted and humbled—well, delighted anyway…
Even smiling makes my face ache
You might even call it “fun.”
It was a blind item
Though his life is blessed with joy and full of hope, which artist could spare only 20 minutes to sign autographs before shouting “I’m done” and stomping away from a queue of disappointed fans?
Turandot on ice, now with more breakdancing!
Those slackers among you who were not in attendance for Sunday’s chat/viewing of the Bayerische Staatsoper Turandot now have the chance to get up to speed.
Didon’t
The theatrical expression “You can’t tell the players without a program” was never more apt than when applied to Opus Arte’s release of Cavalli’s La Didone.
Transparency
Opera Teen (pictured, second from left) is not kidding us: he had an interview with Peter Gelb.
Not quite right
The last of the Strauss-Hofmannsthal collaborations, Arabella, is a real problem child.
Regie off the port bow
Sometimes the simplest solutions are best, as Pat C. realized in identifying our previous Regie quiz as Samson et Dalila.
The V.I.P.s
Your doyenne La Cieca (not pictured) invites you to our weekly discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
Canned laughter
One of the delights of doing these weekly breakdowns is sending them in and then waiting patiently to see what sort of illustration La Cieca uses with it.
Opera pump
Happy birthday to baritone Zachary Gordin, cover boy for this year’s Barihunk Wall Calendar.
“Where was Liam Joshua?”
Anyone looking for orgiastic obscenity in Calixto Bieito‘s production of Carmen at the London Coliseum, will be bitterly disappointed, writes Rupert Christiansen.
Rose to the occasion
Count on Gotham Chamber Opera to spice up the spring season.
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).