Recent Stories
Sonya Yoncheva will make her North American role debut as Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata at the Met this January.
Which Met superstar—who’s no stranger to blind items this season—is the first to accede to the Met’s suggestion of a fee reduction of 7% for principal artists in upcoming seasons?
Just in time for Halloween, Decca Classics has released the trailer for the upcoming CD Renée Fleming: Christmas in New York.
On this day in 1952 Clarence Birdseye sold the first frozen peas.
On this day in 1787, Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni received its first performance in Prague.
Finally the mystery has been solved: glamorous Joyce DiDonato and mousy Rachel DiDonato (pictured, left to right) are really the same person!
On this day in 1886, President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.
Sunday afternoon’s intermittently involving concert performance of Handel’s Alcina at Carnegie Hall starred an unusually intense Joyce DiDonato as a powerful sorceress blinded by her romantic delusions.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Goodnight, Irene
Goodnight, Irene
Grand Tier Grab Bag features the American Zwischenfach mezzo Irene Roberts ahead of an eclectic season of Wagner.
Grand Tier Grab Bag features the American Zwischenfach mezzo Irene Roberts ahead of an eclectic season of Wagner.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Poetic license
Poetic license
Parterre Box shines a light on Liparit Avetisyan, who made his Met debut as Alfredo earlier this spring.
Parterre Box shines a light on Liparit Avetisyan, who made his Met debut as Alfredo earlier this spring.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Frau Miina-Liisa will es werde Nacht
Frau Miina-Liisa will es werde Nacht
Parterre Box features soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä, making her title role debut in Die Walküre in Munich next week, in a performance of Tristan und Isolde from 2021.
Parterre Box features soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä, making her title role debut in Die Walküre in Munich next week, in a performance of Tristan und Isolde from 2021.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Lux aeterna luceat eis
Lux aeterna luceat eis
Grand Tier Grab Bag this week honors the late Limmie Pulliam with a bit of his Verdi Requiem.
Grand Tier Grab Bag this week honors the late Limmie Pulliam with a bit of his Verdi Requiem.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Kathryn the great
Kathryn the great
Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.
Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Count your blessings
Count your blessings
Fast-rising Verdi baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbataar is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Fast-rising Verdi baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbataar is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
This week’s contribution from Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin is a more intimate one, sort of: a recital by Dame Gwyneth Jones.
On this day in 312, Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross.
On this day in 1520, Charles V, later Holy Roman Emperor, was crowned King of Germany.
La Cieca hopes that even the less celebrated attendees at this week’s intermission feature will feel free to commment on off-topic and general interest subjects.
On this day in 1938, the Archbishop of Dubuque, Francis J. L. Beckman, denounced swing music.
The San Francisco Opera is batting a thousand where young singers are concerned this season.
On this day in 1947 American actor Kevin Kline was born.
Fall 2015 is the target date for an as yet untitled one-woman show based on the life of Kathleen Battle, scheduled to star Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is a great opera conductor
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is a great opera conductor
Historically, conductors were often viewed as rigid, authoritarian figures. Yannick Nézet-Séguin completely subverts this stereotype.
Historically, conductors were often viewed as rigid, authoritarian figures. Yannick Nézet-Séguin completely subverts this stereotype.
The Talk of the Town
Patrizia Ciofi should have made it to the Met
Patrizia Ciofi should have made it to the Met
The artist who I feel should have made it to the Met is Patrizia Ciofi.
The artist who I feel should have made it to the Met is Patrizia Ciofi.
The Talk of the Town
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never made it to the Met
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never made it to the Met
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never sang at the Met.
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never sang at the Met.
The Talk of the Town
Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo should have made it to the Met
Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo should have made it to the Met
This Mireille duet unites Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo and shows the timbral and stylistic qualities that made them exemplary.
This Mireille duet unites Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo and shows the timbral and stylistic qualities that made them exemplary.
The Talk of the Town
Ebe Stignani and Anita Cerquetti should have made it to the Met
Ebe Stignani and Anita Cerquetti should have made it to the Met
Subtlety is for cowards, say the blazing Anita Cerquetti and the blaring Ebe Stignani.
Subtlety is for cowards, say the blazing Anita Cerquetti and the blaring Ebe Stignani.
The Talk of the Town
Sena Jurinac should have made it to the Met
Sena Jurinac should have made it to the Met
Sena Jurinac, a celebrated Mozart and Strauss singer here as the Composer, a signature role.
Sena Jurinac, a celebrated Mozart and Strauss singer here as the Composer, a signature role.
On this day in 1967, the musical Henry, Sweet Henry opened at the Palace Theater.
It was a night a-tingle with excitement at the Metropolitan Opera House.
On this day in 1883, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City opened with a performance of Gounod’s Faust.
La Cieca is gradually coming to the conclusion that Tara Erraught (pictured) has built her dressing room over an Indian burial mound.
Since the Met’s production of The Death of Klinghoffer, opening tonight, will apparently not be broadcast in any form, Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin has graciously provided, in streaming form, a recording from the world premiere of the work in 1991 at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie.
On this day in 1803 the United States Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.
La Cieca trust that you, the cher public, will don your finest festoonery for this week’s discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
On this day in 1845, Richard Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser premiered in Dresden.
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