San Francisco Opera is about to hop on the HD bandwagon, promising theater transmissions of six operas a year beginning in March 2008. Unlike the Met’s simulcasts, though, San Francisco’s appear likely to turn a profit almost immediately. The company can produce their telecasts for only about $75,000 per production since earlier this year they […]
Controversial soprano Anna Netrebko has gone on record categorically denying recent rumors that she… is a lesbian? (My dears, La Cieca has been out of the dating pool for a while, but even she wouldn’t mistake Erwin Schrott for a girl!) Well, my dear Sapphic comrades, all La Cieca can say is, you win some, […]
La Cieca enthuses about her recent visit to the Lyric Opera of Chicago before introducing the third act of Adriana Lecouvreur starring Renata Scotto. Your doyenne’s favorite diva returns after the act for a rare live recording of an excerpt from one of her most celebrated roles. All this, plus Milton Host‘s wonted bemusement, on […]
La Cieca was franky overwhelmed by both the volume and the quality of the “Season Brochure” contest entries, so she’s decided to ask you, her cher public, to help decide the winner. In this and four other posts, she will present five finalists. Later today, she will post a ballot so you, the cher public, […]
La Cieca was franky overwhelmed by both the volume and the quality of the “Season Brochure” contest entries, so she’s decided to ask you, her cher public, to help decide the winner. In this and four other posts, she will present five finalists. Later today, she will post a ballot so you, the cher public, […]
La Cieca was franky overwhelmed by both the volume and the quality of the “Season Brochure” contest entries, so she’s decided to ask you, her cher public, to help decide the winner. In this and four other posts, she will present five finalists. Later today, she will post a ballot so you, the cher public, […]
La Cieca was franky overwhelmed by both the volume and the quality of the “Season Brochure” contest entries, so she’s decided to ask you, her cher public, to help decide the winner. In this and four other posts, she will present five finalists. Later today, she will post a ballot so you, the cher public, […]
La Cieca was franky overwhelmed by both the volume and the quality of the “Season Brochure” contest entries, so she’s decided to ask you, her cher public, to help decide the winner. In this and four succeeding posts, she will present five finalists. Later today, she will post a ballot so you, the cher public, […]
The Met announced this morning yet another media partnership, this one with iN DEMAND Networks “to offer all eight new performances from the Met’s second season of Metropolitan Opera: Live in High Definition to on-demand subscribers in the United States in both standard and high definition formats.” The basic idea is that the video from […]
Don’t forget, cher public: tonight La Cieca hosts a live chat on the topic of the Norma broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera, featuring Maria Guleghina‘s first local stab at the Role of Roles. Join La Cieca in the chatroom La Foresta d’Irminsul beginning at 7:15 PM. Dare we hope tonight’s performance will be as fabulous […]
Unfortunately La Cieca has been unable to find video of the stars of our current Unnatural Act in a staged version of Adriana Lecouvreur. However, here’s our other prima donna of the piece, Elena Obraztsova, in a concert performance of the Principessa’s aria “Acerba voluttà.” La Obraztsova may be heard in equally full wail opposite […]
La Cieca hears that our dear Aprile Millo (who recently had to cancel a Teatro Grattacielo appearance due to illness) is ready to bounce back big time in 2008. Word on the street is that Millo will join longtime colleague Dolora Zajick for a bel canto duet in OONY’s spring gala, followed by a return […]
Stephanie Blythe and Julia Sweeney offer twice the gender confusion.
Now, you really didn’t think La Cieca would let the occasion of Maria Guleghina‘s first Met Norma go unmarked, did you? Oh, please, don’t be ridic, cher public! Surely the ascent of la Guleghina to the summit of bel canto is an experience that must be enjoyed communally. And since La Cieca has no intention […]
Last night’s season premiere of Norma at the Met restored Bellini’s opera to musical and vocal distinction but the dramatic fire was burning only fitfully. Hasmik Papian is a hugely experienced Norma who some consider to be the best contemporary exponent of the role. But the key word here is contemporary not best. Her voice […]
The death of Ludwig II of Bavaria has been considered a suicide for over a century, ever since the meshugeneh monarch’s body was found in Lake Starnberg near Munich on June 13, 1886. But did the kooky king really take his own life — or was it TAKEN FROM HIM? [sfx: music sting] An article […]
Was seht ihr in den Lust- und Trauerspielen?!Haustiere, die so wohlgesittet fühlen,An blasser Pflanzenkost ihr Mütchen kühlenUnd schwelgen in behaglichem Geplärr,Wie jene andern – unten im Parterre… La Cieca salutes the successful launch of Alex Ross‘s The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century with a podcast of one of her very favorite operas […]
Opera performances in Paris are canceled due to strikes.
The Gallery Met — you know, that space off to the opposite side of the box office, over near the State Theater? Oh, didn’t you know there was a gallery there? Well, in fact, neither did much of anyone else, judging by the sparse attendance there ever since they removed the lesbian erotica (that is, […]
What can take a sunrise / Sprinkle it in dew / Cover it in chocolate / and a miracle or two? The Malibran Van!
Latest casting news from the Met: Stephen O’Mara will sing Radamès in Aida on Wednesday, October 24, replacing Marco Berti, who has withdrawn from remaining performances due to illness. The role of the Egyptian captain for the the remaining performances of the season (October 27 – November 8) will be sung by that popular man-about-town […]
Maury D’annato asks “How high does the Simionato role [in Adriana Lecouvreur] lie? Could Podles do it? Well, judge for yourself. Here’s a clip of mezzo Oralia Dominguez singing the Principessa’s aria “Acerba volutta.”
This is what tomorrow looks like: a live opera telecast over the web. It’s France 3’s transmission of a performance of Il Sant’Alessio performed by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, starring “le contre-ténor à la voix d’ange Philippe Jaroussky, tout auréolé de sa Victoire de la musique d’Artiste lyrique de l’année 2007.” Watch it […]
So, was last night a triumph or a disaster? Well, it was neither since the role of Radames doesn’t play to all of Roberto Alagna‘s strengths but it was a very fine showing by a distinctive and sensitive artist in a repertory that isn’t his natural metier. The evening’s biggest triumph was scored by old […]
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).
Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, and top reads
delivered to your email weekly…ish.
