According to Anne Midgette, baritone Carlos Alvarez has withdrawn from Washington National Opera’s production of Hamlet, to be replaced by Michael Chioldi and Liam Bonner, with their individual dates TBA. [The Classical Beat]
“Diva! The very word evokes tantrums, unreasonable demands — and the wrath of Aretha Franklin denied her Snickers bar.” Our Own JJ (not pictured) discusses divadom with Angela Gheorghiu in the New York Post.
Boy, this review practically writes itself. I’ve heard Jonas Kaufmann’s Alfredo live and was duly impressed, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review this recording. All I can say about Jonas Kaufmann: Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven & Wagner (Decca 4781463), to be released April 6, 2010, is that it went straight to both […]
Well done, Lindoro Almaviva, for not only guessing the opera but pinpointing the correct scenes and characters in Idomeneo! The production is by Ivo van Hove for La Monnaie.) And now for something completely less minimal.
You know La Cieca’s two favorite things in the world are French grand opera and ham, so how could she miss the chance to host a chat on so rare an occasion as today’s Met broadcast of Hamlet? The chat begins at 1:00 pm, and the details are after the jump.
My tolerance for 17th century opera is generally low, but even I can appreciate the value in an underappreciated composer like Francesco Cavalli.
La Cieca (not pictured) invites you, her group mind, to help her sort out the following conundrum.
When I saw this CD was coming out my first thought was, “Why?” We already have brilliant recordings of “Die Schöne Müllerin” from artists like Fritz Wunderlich, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, et. al.
Happiest 100th birthday greetings to the legendary Magda Olivero! In celebration, let’s enjoy a recital from December 13, 1977 in Dallas, Texas, with Ivan Davis, piano.
2 Headstrong Singers + 1 Conductor Unfamiliar with the Score = 1 Lost Cause?
“The new avant-garde head of Madrid’s opera house, Gerard Mortier, Wednesday promised an ‘innovative’ first season in charge.” [AFP]
La Cieca has just heard that mezzo-soprano Blanche Thebom died this morning at the age of 91. Her 22 year career at the Met included over 350 performances.
A couple of glimpses of the last Ring cycle Wolfgang Wagner directed before turning over the Regie reins to Patrice Chéreau.
Early reports indicate that Rolando Villazón was back in form last night for his return to the stage in L’elisir d’amore at the Vienna Stage Opera.
According to first reports, Rolando Villazón enjoyed a much-applauded success earlier this evening at the Vienna State Opera as Nemorino, his first staged opera performance in almost a year.
Since James Levine‘s back is flaring up again and he has canceled BSO performances through April 5, how about a group-mind experiment in predicting what the rest of the maestro’s Met season will be like?
The legendary Kunstdiva was born March 22, 1912.
The grandson of Richard Wagner, chief of the Bayreuth Festival from 1951-2008 and director of a dozen productions, died Sunday. He was 90. [Monsters and Critics]
Oh, phooey! Barely 12 minutes separated La Cieca’s posting of the most recent Regie quiz and the correct guess by bassoprofundo. By the way, your doyenne’s current crush Stefan Herheim directed this production for Den Norske Opera. And now for a puzzler La Cieca hopes will be a bit more challenging!
With the production of Siegfried, the “Ring for the 21st Century” staged by La Fura dels Baus finally hits its stride.
Today’s Met broadcast is From the House of the Dead. Our habitual chat begins at 12:30 pm, and the details are after the jump.
I have heard Gerald Finley live and enjoyed his singing immensely. He possesses a strong, resonant, lyric baritone, even of scale and beautiful of timbre. His biggest successes to date have been creating the roles of Oppenheimer in John Adams‘ Dr. Atomic and Harry in Mark-Anthony Turnage‘s The Silver Tassie. He includes selections from both […]
Today’s gossip riddle: what does the Met’s upcoming Mary Zimmerman production of Rossini’s Armida have in common with the above-referenced classic of cheesy 1950s science fiction?
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).
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