Magic Michael
Our Own JJ weighs in at some length about OONY’s performance of I Lombardi over at musicalamerica.com.
Recent Stories
Driving Miss Dessay
Always front and center with a vote of confidence, Peter Gelb told the New York Times, “Natalie is one of the great artists, but she also is somewhat fragile.”
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).
The boy friend
Since its life-changing Atys first arrived in 1989 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (where the Lully returned one last time in 2011), Les Arts Florissants has presented works there which have challenged many perceptions about 17th and 18th century opera.
Fabulous!
Your doyenne, while she never, never would think to record a performance she attends, is from time to time sent recordings of certain live events.
Phoning it in
“Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine and Puccini’s Suor Angelica…. Cast Features Nuccia Focile, Rosalind Plowright, Maria Gavrilova in her Seattle Debut”
Nile, be seeing you
“Danielle de Niese will sing the role of Cleopatra in this evening’s performance of Handel’s Giulio Cesare, replacing Natalie Dessay, who is ill.”
A la faveur de cette nuit obscure
La Cieca does what she can in her own little way to, well, light a single candle against ignorance, but sometimes she is surprised by her own strength.
Light up the sky
Either tonight’s concert performance of I Lombardi by Opera Orchestra of New York was a “star is born” moment for Michael Fabiano, or else there is no such thing as a “star is born” moment any more.
Nel tuo seno, amico sassone
Bollywood dance numbers, kung fu fighting, simulated nudity — and rock-solid musical values — added up to a sterling Giulio Cesare at at the Met.
A series of ones and zeroes
“I’m analytical, not wild,” Ms. Garanca told an interviewer in 2009.
The wayward bustle
It’s that time of the week (again?) when the parterriat discuss off-topic, general interest and impressionistic subjects.
What becomes two legends most?
On the final night of her farewell engagement at the Café Carlyle, cabaret legend Elaine Stritch took a few questions from the audience.
Geherheimnishehr hallt mir dein Wort
It’s not a sure thing, only a “maybe,” but it’s the most exciting Regie news La Cieca has heard all season.
Sun rises in east as dog bites man
A member of the cher public who braved this afternoon’s performance of Das Rheingold at the Met reports that the Machine jammed halfway through the transition between scenes two and three.
Book club
La Cieca hears that the opening night of La Scala’s 2013 season will feature a new production of La traviata starring Diana Damrau and Piotr Beczala, directed by… no, not Franco Zeffirelli, but Dmitri Tcherniakov.
Pyramid scheme
Giulio Cesare at the Met proved an evening that added up to much more than the sum of its uneven parts.
My heart at thy sweet quiz
La Cieca has heard the rumblings (from you, the cher public) that we have not had a singer identification quiz in all too long a while.
Just a little touch of tsar quality
The gripping Calixto Bieito/Kent Nagano production of Boris Godunov from the Bayerische Staatsoper—with authoritative Alexander Tsymbalyuk in the title role…
Enchanted April
You don’t have to be Quechua to enjoy some of the outstanding CDs and DVDs to be released this month, but it can’t hurt.
Il sacro fuoco
Here’s recent Met debutante Liudmyla Monastyrska in that ultimate “furibonda” role, Abigaille in Nabucco.
Prequel
This cozy video of Il Barbiere di Siviglia was recently re-released and will be of interest to those who are only familiar with Cecilia Bartoli‘s work after she became an international star.
Mad mentions
La Cieca would like to take this opportunity to salute our sponsors for the month of April: Carnegie Hall and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Gays and dolls
La Cieca invites you, the cher public (pictured) to discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.