Devil’s candy Devil’s candy

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation announced today that Christian Van Horn has been named as the winner of the 2018 Richard Tucker Award.

Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten

1940s German musical movie star Marika Rökk was a Russian counterspy!

Cost disease rampant in city! Cost disease rampant in city!

Intrepid cub reporter Terry Teachout has scored the scoop of the century!

“Das Ende! Das Ende! “Das Ende! Das Ende!

“Maestro James Levine, the Met’s Music Director since 1976, announced that after 40 years in the position, he will retire at the end of the current season, for health reasons,” says the Met press office. 

Uomo non vidi mai Uomo non vidi mai

From the Met: “Jonas Kaufmann has canceled his performances in this season’s new production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut due to illness.”

Vanishing act Vanishing act

Kasper Holten, Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, has announced he will quit this post in March 2017.

Breaking: horses not to be frightened Breaking: horses not to be frightened

“Our patrons are also our investors, and because many of our core subscribers are also our most generous philanthropists, we need to make sure that our programming jives with their expectations, what they’d like to see onstage.”

Here’s Lucy Here’s Lucy

The breaking news from San Francisco Opera is that Nadine Sierra will sing the title role of in a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor, replacing Diana Damrau, who will not.

“My work is done” “My work is done”

John Berry, artistic director of the English National Opera, has announced he intends to step down from his role after 20 years with the Company.

“Nun halt’ ich, was mich erhebt, der Mächtigen mächtigsten Herrn!” “Nun halt’ ich, was mich erhebt, der Mächtigen mächtigsten Herrn!”

In an unprecedented move, the Bayreuth Festival has named conductor Christian Thielemann official “Music Director.”

Orange is the new spinto Orange is the new spinto

Opera star Montserrat Caballé has reached a deal with the public prosecutor to receive a six-month prison sentence and a €240,000 fine for defrauding the Spanish tax office.

Leaner in Leaner in

The Metropolitan Opera just announced that 22 positions from its administrative staff of 254 have been eliminated as part of a company-wide program of cost cutting.

Overtime Overtime

UPDATE: The Met has reached tentative agreements with AGMA and Local 802. The contract deadline has been extended through midnight on Tuesday, August 19, to allow Local One and the other remaining unions with unsettled contracts more time to secure new deals with the institution.

Back from the dead? Back from the dead?

AGMA and Local 802 have agreed to the Met’s proposal that Allison Beck, a representative of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, be appointed immediately to mediate negotiations, working with both sides to find a compromise agreement.

Anna engaged? No. Anna engaged? No.

According to the Facebook page of tenor Yusif Eyvazov (Des Grieux to Anna Netrebko‘s Manon in the Rome Opera Manon Lescaut), the two are “engaged.”

It’s today! It’s today!

La Cieca’s spy informs her that the Met will announce its 2014-2015 “Wednesday evening.” Watch parterre.com starting at 4:00 pm tomorrow for up-to-the-minute coverage.

Courage… du courage! Courage… du courage!

La Cieca hears that soprano Alex Penda is en route to London on a rescue mission, for which her friends (young or otherwise) are doubtless giving thanks.

A song at twilight A song at twilight

Yes, you’ve heard it already, but you might as well have an official place to talk about it: Marina Poplavskaya goes on tonight in Les Vêpres siciliennes at the Royal Opera House.

Something happened up there, something not very nice Something happened up there, something not very nice

Emma Thompson will portray Mrs. Lovett in the New York Philharmonic’s staged production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

A multiplicity of mezzos A multiplicity of mezzos

Wonder no more! Says the Met press office, “Elina Garanca has withdrawn from her 2013-14 Met engagements because she is pregnant with her second child, who is due this winter.”

After the fall After the fall

Wendy White is suing the for a 2011 accident on stage during a performance of Faust.

Those “Das-is-ein-fideles-Gefängnis-da-werd-ma-einen-kleinen-Schligowitz-ein-schalten-net” Blues Those “Das-is-ein-fideles-Gefängnis-da-werd-ma-einen-kleinen-Schligowitz-ein-schalten-net” Blues

Broadway actor Danny Burstein will make his Metropolitan Opera debut in the non-singing role of Frosch in this season’s performances of Die Fledermaus.

To the Emerald City, as fast as lightning! To the Emerald City, as fast as lightning!

Aidan Lang has been named Seattle Opera’s third General Director effective September 1, 2014.

Ancient German virtue of bravery gone missing Ancient German virtue of bravery gone missing

In a press release, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein at Düsseldorf has announced the cancellation of its controversial new production of Tannhäuser.