Triple threat Triple threat

Congratulations to Bryan Hymel (right), winner of the 2013 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera “for his performances in Les Troyens, Robert Le Diable and Rusalka at the Royal Opera House.”

Maytime Maytime

Let the discussion (on off-topic and general interest subject) bud and flower!

Constellation Constellation

Here, for the first time in 40 years, the CBS telecast of the April 21-22 gala honoring the retirement of Sir Rudolf Bing.

Fire down below Fire down below

The Immolation Quiz now stands tied between two competitors, each of whom has identified correctly 20 of the 25 singers represented.

He who gets kicked He who gets kicked

A last minute scheduling conflict at the New York Post (curse you, Tony season!) meant that my planned review of Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny at Manhattan School of Music had to be 86ed.

Black tie optional Black tie optional

Congratulations to the winners of the eighth annual F. Paul Driscoll Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence, who were lauded at an impromptu “come as you are” get-together Sunday night at the Plaza.

Plus qu’un peu grise Plus qu’un peu grise

To close its season this week, New York City Opera is unleashing hurricane-force gales of laughter.

Zu verhüllen oder zu enthüllen Zu verhüllen oder zu enthüllen

La Cieca hopes you, the cher public, will reveal (rather than conceal) your opinions on off-topic and general interest subjects this week.

Spin cycle Spin cycle

Your Wagnerian alternatives for today’s chat in La Casa della Cieca

Love is only love Love is only love

Of the two love stories that unfolded at David et Jonathas Wednesday night, it’s hard to say which was more moving.

Dark side of the moon Dark side of the moon

Finally some video of Stefan Herheim‘s Salome production shows up on YouTube.

Boys to men Boys to men

You have only until Sunday to catch the most heart-breaking moments seen on New York City operatic stages this season.

A Waltz Dream A Waltz Dream

Two time Oscar winner and Quentin Tarantino muse Christoph Waltz is branching out into opera direction.

Happy Birthday Anja Silja Happy Birthday Anja Silja

The evergreen singing actress was born 73 years ago in Berlin.

L’art du hipster L’art du hipster

The reinvention of Verdi’s masterpiece, La Traviata, as sung by world-famous French coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay, is the subject of Philippe Béziat’s thrilling new movie.

The case of the missing vehicle The case of the missing vehicle

La Cieca’s sources tell her that a planned revival of Faust at the Met in the fall of 2014 has been canceled, because who wants to see that ugly thing again, or else the leading lady didn’t feel like singing it, whichever.

Lots of Gluck Lots of Gluck

De Nederlandse Opera’s remarkable 2011 feat of premiering productions of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride on the same day and virtually the same set has been issued on a 2-DVD set by Opus Arte.

The subject was Moses The subject was Moses

Like the Israelites who cross the Red Sea in Moses in Egypt, New York City Opera has a long, hard road ahead of it.

Red letter day Red letter day

“Her letter scene was glorious, and her final meeting with Onegin beguiling. Netrebko leaves nothing to be desired vocally and is a consummate artist as well.”

Nel mezzo del cammin Nel mezzo del cammin

Congratulations to Isabel Leonard , not only the winner of the 2013 Richard Tucker award, but also the subject of a recent blind item on parterre box!

Young man with a horn Young man with a horn

Ring a ding ding! There’s a new Duke in town, and he’s jolting the Met’s Rigoletto with enough electricity to light up the Las Vegas Strip.

Disc inferno Disc inferno

The music is “Brünnhilde’s Immolation Scene” and it is up to you (and I do mean you) to identify the 25 singers involved.

Hold my poltrone Hold my poltrone

La Cieca invites the cher public (pictured) to go into their regular Sunday routine of discussion and argument over matters general and off-topic.

Midway in my song Midway in my song

Which music foundation’s choice of an award winner this year is perhaps neither brave nor new, but certainly a world of difference from the tenors they usually give it to?