Recent Stories
Ever wonder why a free press is the cornerstone of any representative democracy? Wonder no more: “MUSCAT: Renée Fleming is called the People’s Diva for a reason. She doesn’t have any airs, and her engaging charm works its way into the hearts of anyone who sees her sing.” And it only gets more fulsome. [Times…
It is with great disappointment that Betsy Ann Bobolink (second from right) must cancel this week’s listing of Saturday opera performances, however, after listening to seven performances of the extremely taxing title role in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena at The Metropolitan Opera, she has been ordered to go on 10 days of vocal rest by her…
Which maestro, a former music director of an American opera company, is now in the running for that title at the Met—assuming the company indeed has done a radical about-face in its plans?
As is so bloody typical when La Cieca leaves town for even a few days, news breaks all over the damn place. As you have no doubt already heard by now, Jay Hunter Morris will sing all this fall’s Met performances of Siegfried, replacing Gary Lehman who has canceled (all together now) “because of illness.” Lehman,…
“An eagerly awaited production of Mozart’s masterpiece Don Giovanni —staged by Tony winner Michael Grandage (Red)—limped into the Met Thursday dead on arrival.” [New York Post]
The untold want by life and land ne’er granted: Now, voyager sail thou forth to seek and converse during the week of October 16.
“Oh dear, dear, busy, busy busy,” said Bessie Bunny as she slipped into her pinafore. “Everyone will be at the HDTV today, and I shall have to chat all by myself. And look how early things start!
Separated at birth seducers “The Duelling Dons” demonstrate what the aristocratic redneck of the XVIII century will be wearing.
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
Don’t cry because it’s over
Don’t cry because it’s over
Grand Tier Grab Bag hearkens back to the days when Sondra Radvanovsky — who is singing no Verdi at all next season — seemed like the Verdi soprano of reference.
Grand Tier Grab Bag hearkens back to the days when Sondra Radvanovsky — who is singing no Verdi at all next season — seemed like the Verdi soprano of reference.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Rizzin’ to the occasion
Rizzin’ to the occasion
Parterre Box features the Met’s current Eugene Onegin, Iurii Samoilov, in a performance of Rossini ahead of a return to Pesaro this summer.
Parterre Box features the Met’s current Eugene Onegin, Iurii Samoilov, in a performance of Rossini ahead of a return to Pesaro this summer.
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.
Good news, barihunk lovers! According to a press release from the Met, Mariusz Kwiecien will return to the stage for the title role of Don Giovanni on October 25, in time for the HD telecast October 29 as well as remaining scheduled performances through November 11.
Our Own Sanford graces the stage of Amore Opera tomorrow night as Dr. Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro, and you can get $10 off ticket prices using the discount code “opening10”. He further treads the boards on the October 22, 24 and 30.
Tonight’s the night, cher public: the prima of the Met’s new Don Giovanni, conducted by fabulous Fabio Luisi and featuring that leading candidate for Einspringer of the Year, Peter Mattei. The fun begins at 7:30, both on Sirius/XM and on the Met’s Live Stream, and the effete will want to sharpen their knives in anticipation…
UPDATE: According to a press release just now from the Met, La Cieca’s prediction is already halfway true: “Peter Mattei will sing the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni on October 17 and 22 evening, in addition to the new production premiere tomorrow night, October 13. As previously announced he is replacing Mariusz Kwiecien, who…
La Cieca has just learned that La Monnaie, recently awarded the prestigious title of Opera House of the Year by Opernwelt magazine, is planning to stream all of this season’s productions free online. Currently on view is Luigi Cherubini’s Médée, featuring Nadja Michael and Kurt Streit in a production by Opera Cake fave Krzysztof Warlikowski,…
Congratulations to the winners of the “Long Live Passion” Photoshop competition! The identities of the victors and a glimpe of their scathingly beautiful creations, after the jump.
The Metropolitan Opera reports an “astonishing” $182 million in donations for last fiscal year, almost triple what the company garnered in 2003. The bad news is that James Levine is still collecting seven figures annually for duties that at this point seem restricted to New England pratfalls. [New York Times]
Peter Mattei will sing the opening night of the Met’s new Don Giovanni Thursday, replacing the injured Mariusz Kwiecien. Subbing for Mattei as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia tomorrow and Friday nights will be Rodion Pogossov.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Arrigo
A favorite Verdi performance from Arrigo
My favorite Verdi performance is Claudio Abbado Don Carlo opening of the Scala.
My favorite Verdi performance is Claudio Abbado Don Carlo opening of the Scala.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Peter Russell
A favorite Verdi performance from Peter Russell
The purely musical performance preserved here is thrilling, ratcheted to a higher intensity than the Deutsche Grammophon studio recording
The purely musical performance preserved here is thrilling, ratcheted to a higher intensity than the Deutsche Grammophon studio recording
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from TC
A favorite Verdi performance from TC
Victoria de los Ángeles has always been my Violetta of choice, a portrayal that never ceases to move me.
Victoria de los Ángeles has always been my Violetta of choice, a portrayal that never ceases to move me.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Anna Netrebko
A favorite Verdi performance from Anna Netrebko
I feel that the best years of Maria Callas’s vocalità, when we hear such a unique freedom and generosity in her singing, were captured in her early recordings.
I feel that the best years of Maria Callas’s vocalità, when we hear such a unique freedom and generosity in her singing, were captured in her early recordings.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Armerjacquino
A favorite Verdi performance from Armerjacquino
Before the screams of horror begin, it says ‘favorite’, not best.
Before the screams of horror begin, it says ‘favorite’, not best.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Remko Jas
A favorite Verdi performance from Remko Jas
Elisabeth Grümmer was, of course, very good at Wagnerian prayers, but she also shines in this Verdi prayer.
Elisabeth Grümmer was, of course, very good at Wagnerian prayers, but she also shines in this Verdi prayer.
Barihunk Mariusz Kwiecien injured his handsome back during today’s dress rehearsal of Don Giovanni at the Met and was taken to the hospital, tweets Dan Wakin. As La Cieca writes this, Kwiecien’s cover Dwayne Croft is at the Met rehearsing the opera’s first act swordfight.
“Hey the line forms, on the right dear / Now that Macheath’s back in town / You’d better lock your doors, and call the law / Because Macheath’s back in town.” So concludes Marc Blitzstein’s famous English translation of the song that opens Die Dreigroschenoper.
I’ll confess it. I am a bloodthirsty opera fan. I’m not above judging the quality of a work by the size of the body count at the finale. After sitting through Traviata or Boheme all evening I’m often disappointed when only one person dies in the last act. All the principals are dead at the…
Here it is, cher public, your arena for effete knife-throwing the week of October 9.
It takes an Ercole Farnese to recognize Verdi done the Regie way, and he was exactly right that the opera in last week’s quiz was Un ballo in maschera. He did miss the mark on the character depicted: the heavily made-up figure in the sunglasses and plumed hat was not Ulrica but Riccardo (Wookyung Kim).…
“Since Zeffirelli took his official leave from the Met in 2008, the company has experienced—some would say suffered—a backlash against glamour, or at least against those qualities that, thanks in part to Zeffirelli, are wrongly perceived as the synonyms of glamour: triviality and meretriciousness.” [Rough and Regie] (Photo: Ken Howard)
Oh wow! It’s “Rob Besserer Week” on The Internet. The world’s favorite Silent Opera Star is featured in a wide variety of offerings.
Mercedes and Sid Bass, the A-list society and philanthropy couple who in 2006 gave the Met $25 million dollars—the largest single unrestricted gift paid at one time from an individual in the company’s then 123-year history—announced their divorce yesterday, ending 23 years of marriage.
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