video

Now playing on Sirius Satellite Radio, the January 17, 1973 performance of Norma with the following stellar cast … Norma: Montserrat Caballé; Pollione: Carlo Cossutta; Adalgisa: Fiorenza Cossotto; Oroveso: Giorgio Tozzi; Flavio: Charles Anthony; Clotilde: Carlotta Ordassy. Conductor: Carlo Felice Cillario. (So, don’t you think now is a good time to check out the Free…

on October 02, 2006 at 12:29 PM

The late Thomas Stewart as Wotan in Herbert von Karajan‘s film of Das Rheingold. La Cieca will present a podcast tribute to Mr. Stewart this weekend.

on September 29, 2006 at 9:46 AM

Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon in the dress rehearsal of Manon at the Los Angeles Opera.

on September 28, 2006 at 2:52 PM

Talking heads Anthony Tommasini and our own little JJ discussed “Opera for the Masses” yesterday afternoon on WNYC’s “Soundcheck.” The station’s website has made available the show for listening or download. (Scroll down to “Opera lives on YouTube” for JJ’s portion of the program.)

on September 23, 2006 at 12:17 AM

Our own editor JJ will be heard today on WNYC’s chat show Soundcheck, yammering away about the riches of video opera available on YouTube. It’s on 93.9 FM from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and is also available online. La Cieca’s own bewigged head has been busy too, introducing a 1967 Scotto Butterfly on Unnatural Acts…

on September 22, 2006 at 11:10 AM

Here’s a YouTube clip of the original telecast of Luisa Miller, complete with the screamed “Brava Maria Callas!” before Renata Scotto‘s first solo. La Cieca is informed that (reasonably enough) this interruption had been edited out of the eagerly-awaited DVD version. Note, too, that the DVD will feature state-of-the-art video and audio restoration, unlike this…

on September 13, 2006 at 9:54 AM

Dame Margaret Price sings Mozart in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in the summer of 1983. Gone indeed are this level of singing — and, sadly, this opera audience.

on September 09, 2006 at 1:06 AM

The celebrated dramatic soprano Astrid Varnay died earlier today in Munich. She was 88 years old. A few highlights from her 55 year career can be heard in this podcast. Included are scenes from Die Walkure, Tannhauser, Elektra, Der Fliegende Hollander, Der Rosenkavalier, Parsifal, Siegfried, and Tristan und Isolde. powered by ODEOUPDATE: one of the…

on September 04, 2006 at 8:50 PM

From a documentary about the legendary Yma Sumac. More wailing.

on August 22, 2006 at 1:30 PM

La Cieca has just completed the pilot for her very own (online) video series, playing Veejay in her own idiosyncratic way. Admittedly she is no Caskader, but she thinks you will agree that her presenting style is very animated. As always, La Cieca craves your comments and suggestions.

on August 21, 2006 at 9:52 AM

But no matter how “gaia” La Cieca became, she would never be “piu fulgida” than

on August 19, 2006 at 12:27 PM

As La Cieca hinted about six months ago, Anna Netrebko‘s Violetta will hit the Met boards during the 2010-11 season in the Willy Decker production from Salzburg. In the production (also on video from DGG), the miniskirted and hyperactive Netrebko is joined by Rolando Villazon.

on August 16, 2006 at 12:10 PM

“After I went through two X-ray machines and a metal detector, and then a hand-held metal detector, my carry-on luggage was gone through. A young woman took my shampoo, make-up, make-up remover, hair spray, a bottle of Scotch, contact lens solution and a prescription medication.” — The New York Times, August 12, 2006.

on August 12, 2006 at 3:49 PM

You would think that since La Cieca has heard Parsifal quite a few times, and even given the philosophical implications of the libretto a bit of thought, she would have realized that Schadenfreude is just plain bad news. But no, La Cieca had to go and LAAAAAACH-te at the New York Times obituary of Elisabeth…

on August 06, 2006 at 10:15 PM