Scandalize my name
Longtime friend of the ‘box Joe Conda sends La Cieca a new and exciting example of Filth: Caro nome.
Recent Stories
Most grating
Many tears will be shed in heaven today by Nellie Melba, Claudia Muzio, Lotte Lehmann, Adelina Patti and (we suppose) the young Jill Gomez, since none of them made the list of “The 20 Greatest Sopranos of All Time” featured in the April issue of BBC Music. (Don’t bother to click on that link, since […]
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).
Whatever happened to…
Tiziana Fabbricini? Well, in the words of Charlie Handelman: Mamma mia! What a “Mamma morta!”
At a glance
The 2007-2008 Met season, with casting, all in one place. (Though the Met’s own site is very nearly as handy — by far the earliest the company has ever presented repertoire and casting information.) La Cieca would also venture an opinion that next season threatens a rather lower percentage of “why bother” nights, and certainly […]
Tech talk
Here are more details on the panel discussion “On Opera and Technology,” to be held at the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America at Columbia University, 1161 Amsterdam Avenue (between 116th and 118th Streets) on March 23. The exact location is the teatro of the Academy (2nd floor,) from 7.30-9.30pm, and the participants, besides […]
Bigger than the Empire State Building
La Cieca is delighted to divulge that our publisher JJ has been asked to participate in the panel discussion “On Opera and Technology” at Columbia University on March 23. The discussion is one event of the two-day conference “Technologies of the Diva” presented by The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America. The identities of […]
The good news about Mortier
Well, let’s say the first bit of good news associated with the Mortier appointment. La Cieca is talking about how NYCO is no longer pursuing its bratty, entitled “I SAID I want a BRAND NEW opera house or I’ll THROW all my BOWTIES on the FLOOR” attitude of the past decade or so. La Cieca […]
Event horizon
Now that we all know what’s what for the Met’s 2007-2008 season, surely it’s time to start speculating about what comes after, right? Well, La Cieca has been in touch with her stable of reliable sources, and what she has heard is more than a little intriguing. N.B. All this is as heard, of course, […]
It is good that young people should learn
Iridiscent Ira Siff will give (though not too much) a master class under the auspices of the Metropolitan Opera Guild on Wednesday, March 7 at 4:15 – 5:30 P.M at DiCapo Opera, Lexington Avenue at 76th Street. He will coach three young singers on Mozart, Puccini and the bel canto. Some tickets will be available […]
Opernballistic
Part of Anna Netrebko‘s star turn at the Vienna Opera Ball last month. Note at the end of the clip the lovely and talented Paris Hilton sulking in Richard Lugner‘s loge.
Sky scheduled to fall in 2009
It’s still two years before the dreaded Mortier monster is due to descend upon the city, but right-wing thinktankstress and Giuliani enabler Heather Mac Donaldisn’t wasting any time getting the hyperbole rolling. From The City Journal (“the best magazine in America” — Peggy Noonan), a sample of Mac Donald’s heady prose: While Belgian-born Mortier’s fellow […]
Garterdammerung
That Richard Wagner sure had star quality! Even now, 124 years after his death, the composer exerts a fascination that extends even to lively speculation about minutiae about his personal life. In a previously unpublished letter unearthed for the premiere issue of The Wagner Journal, Wagner discusses — well, what do you think? The Grundthemae […]
Avant garde
La Cieca hears that incoming NYCO intendant Gérard Mortier is wasting no time in putting his stamp on the company, even though his tenure is not due to begin until 2009. La Cieca’s source whispers that Mortier is sending Kevin Murphy (currently head of the music staff at Paris) to New York to replace the […]
Auteur! Auteur!
La Cieca has managed yet once more to scoop the everloving world. Here, for your enjoyment, prior to its unveiling in the Met’s Schwartz gallery: an exclusive sneak preview of the just-completed video portrait of Renee Fleming, directed by Robert Wilson.
While I waste these precious showers
Until the Met gets around to installing their Robert Wilson video portrait of Renee Fleming, we can bide our time with the artist’s take on Brad Pitt. (Warning: audio contains wild ranting and screaming, but at least it’s not “I could have danced all night.”)
Overheard
First Opera Professional: Mortier will be a disaster at NYCO! He has the worst taste in singers of anyone in the business! Second Opera Professional: Oh, then he must have done the casting for for their 2007-08 season.
The dotted line has been signed
The New York Times reports that Gérard Mortier will become general manager and artistic director of the New York City Opera in 2009. Of course, you already knew that, didn’t you?
To infinity, and beyond!
The delectable details of the 2007-2008 season at the Metropolitan (discussed this morning in a press conference with Peter Gelb, James Levine and representatives of the new season’s production teams) may be found on the Met’s web site. Our publisher JJ was there in the flesh, and he forwards his impressions: The biggest news this […]
Hello, Mister Wilson!
The most startling news from tomorrow’s press conference at the Met (as released early to the New York Times) — in 2011, a new production of Bellini’s Norma, starring Renee Fleming and directed by Robert Wilson. The casting of Cecilia Bartoli as Adaligisa is La Cieca’s own whimsy, but, hey, stranger things have happened. (For […]
Vilar to "Post"
Ah, dear Alberto Vilar — remember when he was going to swoop down from the skies and rescue the Metropolitan Opera and The Royal Opera at Covent Garden and, well, just opera, in general? And, more to the point, remember how he never tired of bragging about his munificence, and demanding lavish expressions of gratitude? […]
Crossing over
Angela Gheorghiu sings “La vie en rose” at the Paris Garnier Gala conducted by Ion Marin, New Year’s Eve 2006.
It’s not a comeback
The final act of Loreley is hardly the only attraction on the current episode of Unnatural Acts of Opera. La Cieca also salutes the birthdays of three of the greatest sopranos of all time, and, can you believe it, presides over the return of one of your all-time favorite features, “The Enigmas of La Cieca.” […]