Flame war
The role debut of a world-class singer is always a time of great anticipation, hopefully to be followed by celebration, if not unbridled jubilation.
Recent Stories
Now she tells us
“Soprano Renee Fleming at 55: ‘I May Leave Well Enough Alone'”
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).
No place like Rome
“There it is! The Castel Sant’ Angelo!”
A daring young man
On this day in 1859, Jules Leotard performed the first flying trapeze circus act in Paris.
Katerina’s insomnia
Throw in a trio of murders and a healthy splash of vodka and you have, more or less, the plot of Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.
First of the last
An early preview of the new Netrebko/Barneboim/Strauss CD
, including Anna’s first performance of the “Vier letzte Lieder.”
In the hands of fate
On this day in 1862 Verdi’s La forza del destino premiered in St. Petersburg.
Angelina’s ashes
Kitsch is alive and well in Rossini’s La Cenerentola at the War Memorial.
A page right out of history
“This is obviously a difficult situation. But who knows Hans New Rock, knows his cool and objective aesthetic decision.”
Nerd for Windows
On this day in 1983 Bill Gates introduced Windows 1.0.
Fox and friends
Cecilia Bartoli, the revered, ebullient, and unique mezzo-soprano, does not like to fly in airplanes. Yet she managed to journey to St. Petersburg, Russia.
Silver lining
Leonie Rysanek made her Met debut as Verdi’s Lady Macbeth on 05 February 1959, and bade farewell to the company as Tchaikovsky’s Countess in Pikovaya dama on 02 January 1996. With this upload of her 25th Anniversary Gala with the company, Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin celebrates La Rysanek’s 88th birthday on 14 November 2014.
A tiny cog in the great wheel of evolution
On this day in 1939 Ninotchka, starring Greta Garbo, premiered.
Fan club
La Cieca is sure that you, the cher public, will make good use of your idle moments this week discussing off-topic and general interest subjects.
Levee duty
If you are of the belief that Show Boat can stand on its own as a classic score and thus doesn’t need the trappings of musical production, you’ll love the New York Philharmonic’s “semi-staged” production.
Vola talor dal carcere
World-famous soprano Montserrat Caballé will not have to go to jail.
I have ever used to set the last Judgment Day before mine eyes
“That pathetic old woman is also a great and noble queen.”
Wer ein solches Weib errungen, stimm’ in unsern Jubel ein!
On this day in 1912, the Deutsche Opernhaus (now Deutsche Oper Berlin) opens with a production of Beethoven’s Fidelio.
Einspring Will Be A Little Late This Year
In her place, soprano Lise Lindstrom sang the role.
Activism
On this day in 1913 Mohandas K Gandhi was arrested for leading an Indian miners march in South Africa.
Gay cowboys rejoice!
During the Munich Opera Festival performances of Giacomo Puccini’s Manon Lescaut (28th and 31st of July 2015) Kristine Opolais will replace Anna Netrebko in the title role.
Dullsville
This was the kind of night that proves the haters right: sometimes opera is boring.
The deed to a platinum mine
No tracks available yet, but the Angela Gheorghiu Christmas album looks very, well, seasonal.