Make ’em laugh!
“A German, a Peruvian and a Kiwi walk into an American theater and start speaking French: that sounds like the premise of a joke, right?” Our Own JJ reviews La fille du régiment at the Met.
Recent Stories
Regie Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off
Congratulations LogeLizard for so adeptly pinpointing Manon Lescaut as the solution to our most recent Regie quiz. The production was by Graham Vick for the Teatro la Fenice, and we have a glimpse of this regie in action after the jump.
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).
“What do I look like, an ATM?”
The 1990s never ended, it seems. Joe Volpe back at the Met, and his one-time sidekick Alberto Vilar back in the news. The Felonious Philanthropist, donor of abut $12 million to the Met during Volpe’s tenure, was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison for such charges as securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. […]
Council chamber
La Cieca welcomes cher plebians and cher patricians alike to a chat during this afternoon’s Met broadcast of Simon Boccanegra. The performance begins at 1:00 PM.
I would like a waffle
La Cieca preens proudly to present a peerless pair of protégés (left to right) Squirrel and Maury D’Annato. The bromancers attended (or one should say “took in”) last night’s Ariadne auf Naxos at the Met, and as of early this afternoon they were still deconstructing.
She’s no longer a gypsy, part deux
Angela Gheorghiu will not sing Carmen at the Met this season. Says the diva: “To make so important a debut as Carmen, I want to be as prepared dramatically as I am musically. Therefore, I will postpone my role debut until a later date when I can work intensely with the Richard Eyre production.” Kate […]
“L’etoile fait tout”
“Maybe this bold staging was a little overwrought. But when you have Ms. Garanca as Carmen, why not?” Anthony Tommasini offers an object lesson in the art of Criticism as Starfucking.
Joementum
“Joseph Volpe, who served as the Met’s general manager from 1990 to 2006 and authored a memoir about the experience called The Toughest Show on Earth, has been hired by Mr. Gelb, his successor, to represent the company in upcoming contract negotiations with its three major labor unions.” [New York Observer]
Kam der neue Gott gegangen
La Cieca hears that Lance Ryan, scheduled to make his Met debut tonight in Ariadne auf Naxos, is indisposed. Subbing as Bacchus is Michael Hendrick.
Fair and balanced blind item
Which sour face has suddenly reappeared at the Met because the board wants the toughest possible representation during upcoming union negotiations?
“That concept is insane!”
“Director Manfred Schweigkofler conceives a new production that pits the Capulets and Montagues against one another as dueling fashion houses. Against a backdrop of models, paparazzi and high style, Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other unfolds to its deadly conclusion.” [Opera Company of Philadelphia]
Jamais Vu
Maestro James Levine leaps onto the “mono-play” bandwagon. [Photo: Hiroyuki Ito for The New York Times] Cher public, you are invited to contribute your ideas for captions for this unusual photo.
Impossible things are happening every day
Remember “Toi et Moi,” the pectacular music video from which the above image is grabbed? Well, the terrific twosome who brought you that indelible video and perhaps slightly more delible audio, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Igor Krutoi, have done it again. Their newest collaboration, “a once-in-a-lifetime musical event” called “Deja Vu” arrives at Radio City Music […]
Now just a simple little frock
Multiple-threat Isaac Mizrahi, like everyone else it seems, really wants to direct; and direct he shall for Opera Theater of St. Louis this summer, helming A Little Night Music. And designing the sets and costumes too. [Playbill]
Happy Birthday Renata Tebaldi
The “Voice of an Angel” was born February 1, 1922.
Have I stayed too long at the Regie?
Right you are if you think you are, cher public! Our most recent Regie quiz did indeed depict a new production of Wagner’s Rienzi, directed by Philipp Stölzl. (Photo credit: Bettina Stoess im Auftrag der Deutschen Oper Berlin) No handy dome-shaped landmarks in this next quiz, cher public, so La Cieca will leave you to […]
Infectious diseuse
La Cieca hears that Olga Borodina still has whatever it was she had on Wednesday, and so will have to cancel tonight’s Met performance of Carmen as well.
Cast the first chat
UPDATE: La Cieca hears that Sondra Radvanovsky is ill this afternoon, which presumably means Juliana DiGiacomo will sing Lina.
Le snore
What is it about Natalie Dessay, La Cieca wonders, that provokes journalists to badmouth La sonnambula?
My heart belongs to Dada
Maybe this will warm your surrealistic heart, or maybe it’s not your cup of fur. But, anyway: Aida on Ice.
Jersey shirk
Barely a week before opening night, Denyce Graves has withdrawn from an Opera New Jersey production of Carmen. Kirstin Chávez will substitute. [Tim Smith]
Medium rare
La Cieca hears that a highlight of the 2010-2011 New York City Opera season will be the local premiere of Seance on a Wet Afternoon, the Stephen Schwartz tuner to star Lauren Flanigan.
Final curtain
Join La Cieca tonight for a chat saluting the Met farewell (and 2,928th performance) of character tenor Charles Anthony.