Recent Stories
Some very clever casting indeed in this week’s “Dream Team” competition.
On this day in 1568, the Earl of Moray produced the Casket letters of Mary, Queen of Scots at a conference in York, headed by Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk.
You, the cher public (pictured) have spoken, and La Cieca is happy to reinstate this weekly posting where you are invited to discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.
Now’s the time to fill those gaps in your collection, cher public.
Given Anna Netrebko‘s continuing success at the Met in Macbeth (as evidenced by an mid-scene “brava” in last night’s Sirius broadcast), it’s time to think about the future—specifically her local assignments for next season.
Giacomo Puccini’s horse-opera version of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” La Fanciulla del West, based on David Belasco’s play, The Girl of the Golden West, enjoyed the status of a curate’s egg for quite a while.
Readers of this site are typically up to speed on emerging vocal talents, so clearly there is no need for me to write a review of Chilean-German soprano Carolina Ullrich’s riveting recital at the Paris Opera?
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
When they go low
When they go low
Nostalgic for bass month, Parterre Box offers excerpts from two young basses to watch: Giorgi Manoshvili and Patrick Guetti.
Nostalgic for bass month, Parterre Box offers excerpts from two young basses to watch: Giorgi Manoshvili and Patrick Guetti.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Nailin’ the coughin’
Nailin’ the coughin’
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Landing the plane
Landing the plane
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Le galant tireur
Le galant tireur
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
My 600 performance life
My 600 performance life
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
On this day in 1961, Noël Coward‘s musical Sail Away opened at the Broadhurst Theater.
Tonight, Joyce DiDonato will perform the music from her new album Stella di Napoli at the Gowanus Ballroom.
The Metropolitan Opera desperately needed a new production of Le nozze di Figaro.
On this day in 1849, American author Edgar Allan Poe was found delirious in a gutter in Baltimore, Maryland under mysterious circumstances.
Born on this day in 1890 Groucho Marx, American comedian, actor, and singer.
On this day in 1907, the Plaza Hotel opened in New York.
What retired executive might be on the cusp of fulfilling a lifelong dream?
On this day in 1908, Maurice Maeterlinck‘s play L’Oiseau bleu premiered in Moscow.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Marina Rebeka
A favorite Verdi performance from Marina Rebeka
While studying Un ballo in maschera for my Vienna role debut next January, I came across this beautiful ‘Ecco l’orrido campo’ amazingly performed by Montserrat Caballé.
While studying Un ballo in maschera for my Vienna role debut next January, I came across this beautiful ‘Ecco l’orrido campo’ amazingly performed by Montserrat Caballé.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Niel Rishoi
A favorite art song performance from Niel Rishoi
Hans Hotter masterfully captures the poignancy of this sublime Brahms Lied.
Hans Hotter masterfully captures the poignancy of this sublime Brahms Lied.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Arrigo
A favorite art song performance from Arrigo
While refined, Lisa della Casa sings “Four Last Songs” deeply alert to the text and with effortless vocalization that sounds fresh and spontaneous.
While refined, Lisa della Casa sings “Four Last Songs” deeply alert to the text and with effortless vocalization that sounds fresh and spontaneous.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Belfagor
A favorite art song performance from Belfagor
Funnily enough, I’m not remotely a Rachmaninov fan, but this performance by Galina Vishnevskaya in her considerable prime always gives me the chills.
Funnily enough, I’m not remotely a Rachmaninov fan, but this performance by Galina Vishnevskaya in her considerable prime always gives me the chills.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Rowna Sutin
A favorite art song performance from Rowna Sutin
With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.
With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.
Actual contextual advertising served with an anti-Klinghoffer screed.
In honor of WQXR’s salute to the Richard Tucker Music Foundation next week—featuring Tucker honoree Michael Fabiano and hosted by legendary Renata Scotto—La Cieca invites the cher public to compete for free tickets to the mini-concert.
It’s a place where the one thing you can expect is the unexpected. The place is… Philadelphia?
Well, it’s finally happened. Jessye Norman has reached that moment in her career when she starts pronouncing the word “costume” with the accent on the second syllable.
This week Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin presents for our delight a rare live performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Enchantress.
Born on this day in 1904 Greer Garson, English-American actress.
There is something so very Don Draper about René Pape .
On this day in 1836, Thomas Crapper, English plumber, was born.
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