La Cieca reminds her cher public that the always inventive Gotham Chamber Opera returns this week with a rare production of Haydn’s L’isola disabitata. Mark Morris directs the non-dancing proceedings, with Neal Goren conducting the “typical early classical orchestra.” Castaways include Takesha Meshé Kizart, Valerie Ogbonnaya, Vale Rideout and budding barihunk Tom Corbeil. According to […]
Our Own Gualtier Maldè reports: Not every opera has to be a masterpiece. I couldn’t subsist on a steady diet of Tristan und Isolde, Die Zauberfloete, Fidelio, plus Otello, Falstaff et al. Frankly the occasional light comic bonbon or trashy but fun melodramatic tunefest makes a nice palate cleanser. I am talking Adriana Lecouvreur, La […]
A loyal reader reports seeing this blurb in the “normally staid” program book of the Los Angeles Opera: THE FLY BREAKS UNIQUE RECORD House management at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion reports that the lobby staff regularly sold out of binoculars for every performance of The Fly. Sales were reported to be especially brisk after the […]
Some of you cher public will no doubt see the pendulum as swinging too far in the other direction, but La Cieca finds this particularly convincing and exciting deptiction of the relationship between Don Giovanni and Leporello a refreshing change of pace after the listless staging of Mozart’s masterpiece currently in the Met’s repertory. The […]
La Cieca hears that now that NYCO is relinquishing its commission of Charles Wuorinen‘s Brokeback Mountain, another opera company at Lincoln Center is interested in premiering the work, starring one or more of their stable of telegenic baritones. Perhaps in this version Jack and Ennis can meet at a honky-tonk called The Diamond Horseshoe?
Our Own JJ (right) reviews the Met’s revivals of Don Giovanni and Salome in Gay City News.
“…the conception of Brundle, at least as portrayed by Mr. Okulitch, has poignant allure. Mr. Goldblum was a mad, wiry scientist with raging eyes. The young, boyishly handsome Mr. Okulitch makes Brundle more of a dreamer, awkward and soulful, who has lived in near seclusion, building his telepods and fantasizing about transporting himself, transcending the […]
If a Belcore must strip down to a skintight see-through undershirt, that Belcore should be Mariusz Kwiecien (or, as he is so charmingly nicknamed at Barihunks, “The Hot Pole.”) [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/egG334v-EBY” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
It seems to be a day for funny pictures. Here’s barihunk Daniel Belcher as Billy Budd, who he looks like he can’t wait to come aboard the Indomitable! (Cher public, you just know you want to click to enlarge!)
The ideal match of subject matter to critic: the role debut of Teddy Tahu Rhodes in Billy Budd, as reviewed by Anthony Tommasini. (“On being pressed into service, Billy is made a foretop man, and repeatedly throughout the performance Mr. Rhodes climbs up and down rigging with abandon, sometimes using only his arms.”)
Since the new Bayreuth Parsifal was so easily recognizable and the all barechested barihunk all the time Don Giovanni from Salzburg not particularly challenging, La Cieca offers a bonus Regie quiz for the first week of August. Blurting out the answer (as in “I saw this production last week: it’s [title]” or “I saw these […]
The grandeur of Unnatural Acts of Opera continues with a podcast of Hamlet by Ambroïse Ambroise Thomas. Hamlet, Act 1 Hamlet: Simon Keenlyside; Claudius: Robert Lloyd; Gertrude: Yvonne Naef; Ophelie: Natalie Dessay; Laerte: Yann Beuron; Le Spectre: Markus Hollop; Marcellus: Edgaras Montvidas; Horatio: Graeme Broadbent; Polonius: Jonathan May; Gravediggers: Darren Jeffery, Matthew Beale. Orchestra of […]
Erogenous Erwin Schrott is the subject of a newly-launched Decca artist site publicizing his new CD, due for release July 22. And speaking of twins, did La Cieca mention that Mr. Schrott was separated at birth from Jonathan Rhys-Meyers? Though, of course, the always independent OperaChic has her own ideas of who’s the Doppelgänger.
A thoughtful member of the cher public has forwarded La Cieca another photo of barihunk Daniel Okulitch as Seth Brundle in The Fly. Now, this one is somewhat more explicit than the previous image, so La Cieca has tactfully placed it after the jump.
Naked barihunk (a phrase that will eventually become tautological, La Cieca predicts) Daniel Okulitch stars in The Fly, the new opera by Howard Shore and David Henry Hwang opening tonight at the Théâtre du Châtelet.
According to the blog AfterElton.com, Tony Award-winning barihunk Paulo Szot “is an out gay man.” Writer Brian Juergens says the blog “contacted his publicist and were told that yes, he is gay, and we’re welcome to say as much.”
In celebration of the recent Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, the New York Times puts their best man on the case, with exactly the adjective-engorged result you might predict: Out of Opera’s Cradle, Hunky Broadway Babies. “Back then, audiences were willing to lean forward and pay attention.”
Hunks in skimpy loincloths have long been a feature of productions of twentieth century opera, especially during the Christopher Keene era at New York City Opera. But you don’t often get to see much homoerotic action in bel canto works like Norma, more’s the pity. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/sFdrWy8TzSQ” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] [via Barihunks]
First the bad news, or anyway the bad news for us New Yorkers. Why the hell should Seattle Opera get Mariusz Kwiecien in Puritani, whereas we get — whatever his name was? Now the good news, though Seattle may think otherwise: Nick Scholl is moving to New York! (The photo’s a detail of an image […]
Now, stop La Cieca if she’s wrong, but it seems to her that the concept for this production of Carmen is that Escamillo is a 1970s gay clone. Well, no, La Cieca doesn’t get it either. But see for yourself: [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/6F_hltdh1KE” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
“Sit with your legs extended in a VÂ shape. Place your hands in front of you, between your legs, keeping your arms straight. Now straighten your back and neck, and lift your feet as high as you can.” Well, my dears, if La Cieca had a dollar for every time she’s heard that, she could . […]
“Camilla” is presumably “charismatic, vocally robust … uncommonly dashing and cagey” Luca Pisaroni. [NYT]
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!
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).
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