Man of mystery
Zachary Woolfe asks the musical question, “Who is this Peter Gelb anyway?” [NY Observer]
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Cumming attraction
This is crossover that stops just short of crossdressing.
soap opera
Which “gay” cougar has been showering her tenor colleague with even more affection offstage than on? (And, no, despite the clues, there are no homosexuals anywhere in this item.)
First guess is free
Which operatic legend intends to breeze into New York later this month to assess the work of his successor?
Besos y Lagrimas
Offhand, La Cieca would never have thought of Così fan tutte done as a telenovela, but honestly? She’s seen a lot worse. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/oQwtjYkKoz0″ width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
Una veepera sarò
Who but La Cieca’s idol and role model Liz Smith would have the wit (not to mention the balls) to compare Sarah Palin to Maria Callas, complete with quote from Sir Rudolf Bing, plus an offhand allusion to…
Pillow talk
Ildebrando d’Arcangelo and Andrea Concetti get chummy in this scene from Don Giovanni. [via Barihunks]
All fall down
Our Own JJ (not pictured) nominates the can’t-miss operatic and vocal events of the autumn of 2009. [NYP]
The shadow of her smile
Régine Crespin, whose “Very Best” you’ll want to possess; Joan Crawford, in the 1947 film noir Possessed.
Out there, in the dark
All of you who said, “Oh, Kiri te Kanawa could never do Norma” are feeling pretty silly right now, aren’t you? Of course, La Cieca doesn’t mean the Bellini druidess, a role the Kiwi songbird never could have mastered even at the peak of her career, whenever that might have been. No, this Norma is […]
No comment
Two things Dame Kiri te Kanawa doesn’t like to talk about: retirement and knickers. [The Australian]
Dress for success
The Met will distribute free tickets for their dress rehearsal of Tosca on Sunday, September 13 beginning at noon. La Cieca thinks you all understand how important it is that parterre.com scoop the world in reporting on this event, so she trust the cher public will do the right thing. [NYT]
Dowager queen
Which merry blonde is about to waltz her way into the sovrintendente’s office at a top Italian theater? Come on, all! Hey, you can guess this one — even without a degree from the oldest university in Europe!
Acute syndrome
An old clip, from 2005 in fact, but oddly prescient, perhaps. Who knew that Les vêpres siciliennes could sound so much like Verismo? Not the Greatest of E’s (Don’t thank La Cieca; this stunner was sent in by Our Own Kernita Makilla.)
l’artifice vrai
Newly beardless Rufus Wainwright once more graced the annual “Last Song of Summer” concert to benefit Robert Wilson‘s Watermill Center last weekend. (Rufus’s boyfriend Jorn Weisbrodt is the Creative Director of the Center.) Despite a “miraculous last minute change of venue to the Field House at The Ross School’s lower school campus on Butter Lane […]
it’s a return!
La Cieca figures if Adelaida Negri can make a comeback, so can your doyenne.
The word is about, there’s something evolving
History repeating, indeed — and rather recent history at that!
Is Renée Renata reborn?
Following the jump, snippets of all the tracks on the new “Verismo” album, as performed by America’s Soprano.
Column inches
La Cieca’s curiosity is always aroused when a journalist probes with really penetrating questions.
A goose quill dipped in venom
Now, La Cieca believes in turning a gimlet eye on everyone and everything, you know that. But even your doyenne finds this latest Zinta Lundborg screed, well, harsh is the only word. … the company’s funereal new logo is a black circle, which evokes thoughts of the deficit or even oblivion. Presenting four performances of […]
dark lady
Preseason puffery has commenced for the Met’s 2009 opening night production of Tosca, to star that noted brunette Karita Mattila. A release from the company’s press office today details the various ancillary events associated with the September 21 performance, including the first “Open House” of the season (i.e., the final dress rehearsal on September 17 […]
Massacre? I hardly know her!
La Cieca wishes her cher public a joyous and safe St. Bartholomew’s Day.
[insert joke here]
“Opera singer” Katherine Jenkins has been insured against getting swine flu. [Wales Online]
pact checkers
La Cieca is delighted to learn that “the New York City Opera and the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO, have reached agreement on a new collective bargaining contract, helping to ensure City Opera’s continuing place in the forefront of American opera,” according to a press release from the NYCO. Since Alan Gordon and George […]
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
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).
