Que personne ne dorme!
UPDATE: Dessay has “just now” confirmed she will go on for tonight’s performance, which begins in about 15 minutes.
Questo e Quello
Housekeeping: the art of conversation
La Cieca has heard a few complaints that the “threaded” comments format (you know, “2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.2.1,” etc.) can be difficult to untangle for occasional visitors. While we’re not quite up to unthreading the comments, we do want to keep the cher public happy. So what do you think about the following options for […]
Brits blow it again
A drag queen friend of La Cieca’s — long before she was La Cieca — used to have an expression she to describe the terminally inept. The queen would say, “That guy could screw up a blowjob.” By which she meant, of course, receiving a blowjob, i.e., just sitting there, or standing there or whatever.
Peak performance
On this upcoming otherwise dreary Tuesday afternoon, La Cieca hopes the cher public will all be figuratively glued to their PCs and Macs for a live web telecast of Werther from the Opéra-Bastille.
Featuring that miracle of the age, electric light
In Zurich, the 20th century has apparently never ended. Opening on Thursday, a “revival” of Nabucco conducted by Nello Santi, directed by Jonathan Miller, and starring Maria Guleghina (Abigaille), Juan Pons (Nabucco) and Carlo Colombara (Zaccaria). Unfortunately, budget constraints prevent us from hearing the Fenena of Agnes Baltsa…
Now it is my turn to chat
Could there be any more “parterre” a way to spend a Saturday afternoon than listening to a broadcast from half a century ago of what must surely rank among the queerest operas ever written? Don’t bother to answer that, it’s a rhetorical question, and while we’re on the subject, you do not know how to […]
Guardians of the flame
Renée Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky offer an object lesson in the traditional old school performance practice of “lurch and flail” operatic acting.
Diversifying
“In two Verdi operas per formed less than a week apart, legendary tenor Plácido Domingo revealed that, as a conductor, he makes an OK baritone.” Our Own JJ reviews Simon Boccanegra and Stiffelio at the Met. [NYP]
Ophelia’s Posies
There’s something happening at Zankel Hall. Lieder recitals are not what they used to be. Christine Schäfer threw us for a loop Wednesday night in a recital program juxtaposing just two composers – George Crumb and Henry Purcell – who have what, exactly, in common?
Abreast of the new season
Spring must be near, because the little birds are beginning to sing! After the jump, some very specific specifics about the 2010-2011 Metropolitan Opera schedule.
Intensive care
“Opera singer” Katherine Jenkins canceled her appearance at last night’s National Television Awards due to (wait for it!) a “chest infection.” [digital spy]
Cell block tango
“Disgraced opera swindler Alberto Vilar” is now asking for leniency, or, to put it another way, he doesn’t want to go to jail. [NY Daily News]
And the Regie you rode in on
La Cieca admits the Regie quiz candidate from a couple of weeks ago was something of a ringer as it was a new work, and a children’s opera at that. So it’s only reasonable that none of you guessed it was Antonia und der Reißteufel, as performed at the Vienna Volksoper. (Duh!)
Dark side of the moon
Gotham Chamber Opera presented Haydn’s Il Mondo della Luna on Tuesday evening at the Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium, in a production that took advantage of the museum’s NASA constellations and a multitude of other more economical yet impressive stage and lighting effects. Despite cramped quarters and inhospitable acoustics, the company made a strong […]
Ecco il ‘mondo’
“In space, no one can hear you scream — but in a planetarium, everyone can hear you sing.” Our Own JJ (not pictured) reviews Haydn’s Il mondo della luna. [NYP]
Laughter to be short-lived
Enjoy your mockery while you can, cher public. The New York Times has decided they are going to start charging for content “in early 2011.” So, in a year or so, you won’t have Tony Tommasini to kick around any more.
Io ne volumi arcani leggo del cielo
Our Own JJ scoops the world, yet once again. By two weeks, yet.
Lunacy
A glimpse of Il mondo della luna, the Gotham Chamber Opera production opening tonight at NYC’s Hayden Planetarium.
Doge ball
The Met role debut of Plácido Domingo as “Simone” Boccanegra (as those lady journalists insist on calling him) is the subject of tonight’s broadcast chat.
George Jellinek 1909 – 2010
The host of “The Vocal Scene” and frequent commentator on the Met broad casts has died. He was 100. [WQXR] After the jump, a sampling of George Jellinek‘s legendary interviewing and programming skills.
First, do no Haïm
According to the Opéra national de Paris website, “Le retrait d’Emmanuelle Haïm de la production fait suite au constat réciproque, au terme des premières répétitions, que le temps de travail nécessaire pour faire converger son approche artistique et celle de l’orchestre était incompatible avec les contraintes de programmation de l’Opéra national de Paris.”
Revenge is a disc best served cold
Any article bearing the headline “I am doing this for the public” is sure to catch La Cieca’s attention. All the better when the “this” is a new recording of La traviata starring the exiles of Rome Opera, Daniela Dessì and Fabio Armiliato.
Daddy vs. daddy
A new toy to play with, cher public: it’s called YouTube Doubler. (Caution: Video autoplays when you click through the jump!)
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).