Happy Birthday Dame Gwyneth Jones
The spectacular dramatic soprano was born 74 years ago today in Pontnewynydd, Wales. She is seen below in one of her less familiar (though no less effective) roles, Hanna in Die Lustige Witwe.
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Happy Birthday Vincenzo Bellini
Were the Swan of Catania as immortal as his melodies, he would be would be 209 years old today! Admirers of the “King of Cantilena” are invited to follow La Cieca’s example and post YouTube clips of favorite Bellini morceaux.
Happy Birthday Don Giovanni
The original gay pirate is (sort of) 223 years old, since the Prague premiere of Mozart’s masterpiece took place on October 29, 1787.
Vraiment elle est très bien!
At the risk of “pulling a Kathy Lee,” here’s a preliminary to tonight’s Met performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann dedicated to Dame Joan Sutherland.
Art isn’t easy
Congratulations to parterre fave Andrew Richards, who was featured in the staging named Best Opera Production of 2009-2010 in Opernwelt magazine: Verdi’s Macbeth, directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski at La Monnaie in Brussels.
A Ring is Born
Tamara Mumford (Flosshilde in Das Rheingold) explains the concept of the Met’s new production of the Ring.
Separated after midnight
Country wailer Patsy Cline and ex-farmgirl Birgit Nilsson.
The Quantification of the Diva: Part the Third
And now, cher public, let’s put today’s singers, the Contemporary Divas, under the microscope. How do they stack up?
In memory of La Divina
Maria Callas died 33 years ago, September 16, 1977.
Cher a little, public a little
Our Own JJ will have a news item or two tomorrow, but until then, a couple of YouTube clips follow: a remake of a classic and a reimagining of a classic. La Cieca is confident the cher public (pictured) will have opinions.
Turn Lepage
La Cieca has managed to obtain a few minutes of video, pirated at great personal risk, from a dress rehearsal of the Met’s new production of Das Rheingold.
Lady barber makes good
That archetypical Leo, Mae West, was born 117 (or so) years ago today, on August 17, 1893.
Is there nothing she can’t do?
La Cieca is always delighted when a legendary lady of the lyric stage reinvents herself. For example, who ever would have expected Montserrat Caballe to make a comeback as Radames?
Happy birthday Deborah Voigt
The dramatic soprano (and soon to be belter!) celebrates her golden birthday today.
Elina Garatsnest
We may have a contender in the category of Most Overdone Camp Diva Crossover Hair Extension.
Greetings from the Alcova Dorata!
What a concept, or La Cieca should say what a concept! This is Regie at its finest and most boldly satirical, genius that makes Graham Vick look like two-day-old steak frites. For this production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, the director (unnamed, alas in the YouTube clip below) utilizes the cinematic convention of the flash-forward in […]
Happy Birthday Dorothy Kirsten!
The all-American diva was born 100 years ago today!
Happy Birthday Carlos Kleiber and Brigitte Fassbänder
The legendary conductor and the protean mezzo-soprano were born on July 3, in 1930 and 1939 respectively.
You can ring my bel canto
Since last night marked the debut of history’s newest and perkiest interpreter of the role of Norma, and (more to the point) since Bellini’s druid priestess will grace the woods of Katonah, NY during the month of July, La Cieca thought it would be exciting to organize a YouTube competition on the theme of bel […]
Tout gai!
In honor of the 40th anniversary of Gay Pride (the 40th official anniversary, anyway) coming up this weekend, La Cieca proposes this week’s YouTube contest theme: “Tout gai!”
Now, that’s how it’s done!
La Cieca proposes a new weekly competition: she provides the theme, you provide the examples. This week: “Now, that’s how it’s done!”
Scotto sings again
The tutelary goddess of parterre.com performs a few phrases of La bohème — in 2010.
Happy Birthday Cole Porter
The tuneful Peruvian was born June 9, 1891.
Frau Minnie
After the jump, a preview glimpse of Deborah Voigt and company in San Francisco Opera’s production of La fanciulla del West.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
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).
