La sonnambula
Starring Natalie Dessay, Juan Diego Flórez, and Michele Pertusi, conducted by Evelino Pidò. Production by Mary Zimmerman. From March 21, 2009.
Recent Stories
Yes, Icon
Happy 75th birthday to singer, actress and icon Cher.
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).
Vierzig Letzte Lieder
Quarantining during COVID dramatically increased my compulsion to collect and compare interpretations.
Boris Godunov
Starring Ekaterina Semenchuk, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Oleg Balashov, Evgeny Nikitin, René Pape, Mikhail Petrenko, and Vladimir Ognovenko, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Production by Stephen Wadsworth. From October 23, 2010.
The Zoom Generation
The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions were one of the last events I attended in person in 2020. Now, one year on, the competition has returned, this time in an online format, and this time with an entirely new name: The Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition, after the event’s new sponsors.
Waiting for a girl like you
Born on this day in 1939 actress Nancy Kwan.
Idomeneo
Starring Elza van den Heever, Nadine Sierra, Alice Coote, Matthew Polenzani, and Alan Opie, conducted by James Levine. Production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. From March 25, 2017.
Faust
From the Vienna State Opera with Juan Diego Flórez, Nicole Car, Adam Palka, Étienne Dupuis, Kate Lindsey.
I am a victim of telephone
For the Met, high ticket costs, hostile unions and COVID are only part of the problem, according to performer, teacher and writer David Rohde.
Double diva day
Born on this day in 1906 soprano Zinka Milanov…
The Met National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert
This afternoon, ten outstanding young singers—chosen from among 1,200 applicants—compete in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert.
“I love Russian composers!”
Born on this day in 1919 pianist and entertainer Liberace.
Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Starring Isabel Leonard, Lawrence Brownlee, Christopher Maltman, Maurizo Muraro, and Paata Burchuladze, conducted by Michele Mariotti. Production by Bartlett Sher. From November 22, 2014.
La traviata
Pretty Yende, Juan Diego Flórez, Igor Golovatenko, Margaret Plummer.
Condemned to life
Born on this day in 1898 actress, singer, and fashion model Arletty.
The Audition
This feature-length documentary takes you behind the scenes of the Met’s National Council Auditions, in which, each year, thousands of hopefuls compete for a cash prize, the chance to sing on the Met stage—and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career. Directed by Susan Froemke.
Boris Godunov
Adam Palka stars in this production recorded at the Staatsoper Stuttgart.
Private faces
Happy 87th birthday to actress and diseuse Siân Phillips.
Der Rosenkavalier
Starring Renée Fleming, Christine Schäfer, Susan Graham, Eric Cutler, Thomas Allen, and Kristinn Sigmundsson, conducted by Edo de Waart. Production by Nathaniel Merrill. From January 9, 2010.
Die Walküre, Act 1
Conductor: Asher Fisch; Sieglinde: Lise Davidsen; Siegmund: Jonas Kaufmann; Hunding: Georg Zeppenfeld.
Hey there, orgy girl
La Cieca is delighted to be informed that radio station WHRB is presenting an “Opera Divas Orgy” today and tomorrow.
In memoriam Pauline Tinsley
Pauline Tinsley, who died May 11, made few commercial recordings; Trove Thursday offers the thrilling English soprano in excerpts over nearly two decades from nine works ranging from Handel to Richard Strauss.