Barely a week before opening night, Denyce Graves has withdrawn from an Opera New Jersey production of Carmen. Kirstin Chávez will substitute. [Tim Smith]
By La Cieca
70 comments
At the Met, Viktoria Vizin will sing the title role in Bizet’s Carmen tonight, replacing Olga Borodina, who is announced as “ill.”
By La Cieca
No, Ann Murray will not perform the role of the Marquise de Berkenfield at the Met, as announced previously when Felicity Palmer withdrew from the role. With Jean Rigby and Rebecca de Pont Davies booked up years in advance, the Met will muddle through somehow with Meredith Arwady, who hails from a place implausibly called…
By La Cieca
UPDATE: Dessay has “just now” confirmed she will go on for tonight’s performance, which begins in about 15 minutes.
By La Cieca
According to the Opéra national de Paris website, “Le retrait d’Emmanuelle Haïm de la production fait suite au constat réciproque, au terme des premières répétitions, que le temps de travail nécessaire pour faire converger son approche artistique et celle de l’orchestre était incompatible avec les contraintes de programmation de l’Opéra national de Paris.”
By La Cieca
La Cieca hears that Emmanuelle Haïm has been protested by the orchestra of the Opéra national de Paris and will be removed as conductor of the company’s new production of Idomeneo opening on Wednesday. Replacing her will be Philippe Hui, whoever that is.
By La Cieca
Speaking of people what have “ridden that streetcar,” Antipodean diva Cheryl Barker‘s sudden withdrawal from Opera Australia’s first new production of Tosca in almost three decades seems to be based on her objection to the staging by Christopher Alden.
By La Cieca
David Pomeroy makes his Met debut tonight as the eponymous boozehound in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, replacing the ill Joseph Calleja. Meanwhile, La Cieca hears, Brandon Jovanovich is on a rehearsal stage getting brought up to speed on the Carmen production in case he has to go on for Roberto Alagna tomorrow night.
By La Cieca
Tonight’s Hoffmann at the Met is conducted by John Keenan, but it’s not a(nother) James Levine cancellation. Of the nine performances of the Offenbach opera this season, Maestro Jimmy was always scheduled to do only six; the other were “TBA” until the season began. With his cancellation of of the December 16 performance, of course,…
By La Cieca
“Three cast changes have been made for tonight’s performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann due to illness. Rachele Gilmore will make her Met debut replacing Kathleen Kim in the role of Olympia. Laura Vlasek Nolan replaces Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta. Joel Sorensen sings the roles of the four servants – Andrès, Frantz, Cochenille, and Pitichinaccio –…
By La Cieca
James Levine was too ill Wednesday night to conduct Les Contes d’Hoffmann, sending on John Keenan in his place. That same night PBS telecast a performance of Tosca taped earlier this fall which Joseph Colaneri had to take over for the injured Levine.
By La Cieca
So, I was asking my friends with Met Opera insider connections about the new Hoffmann production directed by Bartlett Sher. Seemingly conceived under an unlucky star, this production first lost two of its four heroines when Anna Netrebko decided not sing Olympia and Giulietta but kept Antonia and also Stella, leaving the dramaturgy somewhat lopsided.
By Gualtier M
The Met’s January Rosenkavalier performances have been reassigned to maestro Edo de Waart as James Levine “takes it easy” preparing the new production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann.
By La Cieca
Hui He will sing the title role of Verdi’s Aida at the Metropolitan Opera on March 26, 31, and April 3 matinee, replacing Hasmik Papian, who has withdrawn.
By La Cieca
“I love the way highlighters can minimize your worst features while enhancing others. Apply just above the eyes for a wide-awake look and use to contour around the cheeks. A makeup artist’s favorite is Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat concealer. Makeup artist Jo Strettel swears by this in Elle magazine because it’s easy to use:…
By La Cieca
Felicity Palmer has withdrawn, alas, from the Met’s spring revival of La Fille du Régiment. In her place, alternating in the role of the Marquise de Berkenfield we will hear Ann Murray (pictured, with friend) and Philip Langridge. (Oh, all right, La Cieca is being silly. Not Philip Langridge, actually, but rather Meredith Arwady. But…
By La Cieca
UPDATE: Looks like Guleghina’s going on (no big surprise, that). Chat is on for 7:30 as mentioned before. If Maria Guleghina is going to cancel tonight’s Turandot (following up on “bronchitis” privately announced at the dress where she marked the role) the announcement from the Met should come shortly after 5:00 pm (five minutes from…
By La Cieca
Which diva, whose performance of the first act is admittedly note-perfect, is making management lose sleep because she’s hasn’t yet attempted the second or third? (Maybe they’re worried she won’t cancel.)
By La Cieca
The Metropolitan Opera commission Daedalus by Osvaldo Golijov seems to have slipped through the cracks, for now at least. According to the virtually always accurate Met Futures by Brad Wilber, the premiere of the work, planned for the 2011-2012 season, is not going to take place.
By La Cieca
According to a press release from the Met, Fabio Luisi (left) will conduct all performances of Hansel and Gretel this season replacing Andrew Davis (not pictured) who has withdrawn for personal reasons.
By La Cieca
Maria Gavrilova jumps in as Tosca tonight at the Met, replacing the ailing Karita Mattila.
By La Cieca
La Cieca should know by now that any think piece that kicks off with the locution “I have from time to time wrestled with this conundrum” is just going to piss her off and she should just close the tab. But she didn’t, and this is what she found a little lower down (in more…
By La Cieca
