Edo de Waart will conduct Der Rosenkavalier on October 13, 16, and 19 at the Met, replacing James Levine during his recuperation from herniated disc surgery.

on September 30, 2009 at 2:29 PM

UPDATE: A press release from the Met adds that James Levine has withdrawn from performances of Der Rosenkavalier as well as Tosca. Joseph Colaneri, who was already scheduled to conduct Tosca on October 3, 14, and 17, will take over Levine’s performances of the Puccini opera on October 6 and 10 matinee. (He already filled…

on September 29, 2009 at 12:38 PM

UPDATE: James Levine‘s on-again, off-again back problem is on again. He’s out of tonight’s Tosca, Joseph Colaneri deputizing. Carlo Guelfi sings Scarpia tonight because of the continuing indisposition of George Gagnidze. Meanwhile, James Levine‘s back seems to be feeling better.

on September 28, 2009 at 5:05 PM

As your doyenne hinted previously, the Met just has announced that bass-baritone Juha Uusitalo “has withdrawn due to illness” from the opening night production of Tosca on September 21.  George Gagnidze will perform the role of Scarpia on opening night and in further performances through October 14. Those of you who can’t be in the…

on September 15, 2009 at 12:40 PM

Which recent cancellation really has nothing to do with the music, and everything to do with the fact that the stars don’t want to play a couple onstage when offstage they will soon be an ex-pair (in the legal sense)?

on August 13, 2009 at 4:13 PM

Angela Gheorghiu, not to be outdone by Anna Netrebko‘s cancellation of Violetta in 2010, has just announced that she will not sing Carmen in 2009. According to the Romanian diva’s website, “With deep regret Angela Gheorghiu has to announce that she has to withdraw just from the new production of CARMEN at the MET later…

on August 12, 2009 at 7:50 AM

Anna Netrebko will not sing Violetta in New York during the 2010-2011 season, La Cieca has learned. The long-expected La traviata (as discussed on Met Futures and elsewhere) was to be a version of the Willy Decker production the soprano did at Salzburg in 2005. According to an interview the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Netrebko has…

on August 09, 2009 at 11:54 AM

This just in from the Met’s press office: “In the Met’s new staging of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Joseph Calleja will sing the title role, replacing Rolando Villazón, and Alan Held will sing the roles of the four villains, replacing René Pape.” The press release goes on to explain that Villazón plans to undergo throat…

on June 16, 2009 at 2:29 PM

La Cieca hears that Rene Pape has just canceled an upcoming production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Now, we New Yorkers perhaps should not panic quite yet, because the engagement he has just asked to be released from is not at the Met. On the other hand, the Hoffmann Pape is leaving is after his scheduled…

on June 07, 2009 at 1:19 PM

Member of the cher public ellerveira informs La Cieca: Juan Diego Florez has given several very fascinating interviews to the Spanish media while in Madrid for his two recitals that will replace his canceled performance of Rigoletto. He explained in some detail why he stopped singing Rigoletto (tessitura too low for his voice and if…

on June 02, 2009 at 12:20 PM

A crestfallen member of the cher public forwards to La Cieca this disheartening announcement from John Banta, Director of Special Events for the Met: Thank you for your interest in attending the Metropolitan Opera’s Sneak Peek of the New RING Production on Friday, May 8th at 3:15pm. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, we have…

on May 07, 2009 at 11:01 AM

Gutsy Gary Lehman just jumped into the Met’s Walküre in mid-performance, subbing for an ailing Plácido Domingo. La Cieca’s spy on the scene reports that Domingo sang the line “Tief in des Busens Berge glimmt nur noch lichtlose Glut” and exited stage left. Adrianne Pieczonka then entered from right with her line “Schläfst du, Gast?”…

on May 05, 2009 at 8:10 PM

Rolando Villazón “should be well enough to return to the stage by the end of the year” after having surgery “to remove a cyst on his larynx” according to his concert management. Among the engagements Villazón is expected to cancel are Werther in Vienna and Munich, Nemorino in Los Angeles and Paris, and a new…

on April 29, 2009 at 9:06 AM

A sharp-eyed member of the cher public writes: I attended a performance of Damnation of Faust (with a magnificent Polenzani and Ketelsen) in St. Louis this past Saturday night. When I arrived, there was Christine Brewer in the lobby looking quite well. No cane, no walker, no crutches, no limp, no nothing. I walked up…

on April 20, 2009 at 9:41 AM

To the Met this evening, where Željko Lučić jumps in as Rigoletto opposite Diana Damrau and Joseph Calleja.

on April 17, 2009 at 3:33 PM

Nicole Cabell sings Adina at the Met tonight, replacing Angela Gheorghiu. (Those of you keeping score at home will note that of the quartet of singers originally announced for this performance, only Franco Vassallo remains.)

on April 15, 2009 at 12:08 PM

Dolora Zajick will sing the role of Azucena in the Met’s Il Trovatore on April 21, 25, 29, and May 2, replacing Luciana D’Intino who is ill. Mzia Nioradze will sign the final performance on May 8.

on April 14, 2009 at 12:22 PM

As you all know by now, Rolando Villazón is out of the rest of the performances of L’elisir at the Met. The Met press office held on to this news until after 7:00 tonight, which is perhaps some indication of just how bad the Met considers this news to be. This is what La Cieca…

on April 07, 2009 at 11:05 PM

Per the Met’s press office, Erin Wall will make her house debut Met debut as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and will also sing the remaining performances of the season through the 24th. Wall replaces Barbara Frittoli, who will sing Donna Elvira instead, replacing Soile Isokoski, “who has withdrawn from the four performances due to…

on April 02, 2009 at 6:37 PM

La Cieca really, really doesn’t like to say this, but the truth seems to be staring us in the face, so here goes. We have seen the last of Rolando Villazón at the Met. Even though he’s announced as having canceled only the first two performances of Elisir, it’s pretty clear that he’s just not…

on March 26, 2009 at 5:40 PM

A source close to the Met whispers to La Cieca that Rolando Villazon “will cancel” the first performance of L’elisir d’amore at the house on March 31. This, La Cieca should mention, is based on an overheard conversation between Sarah Billinghurst and Angela Gheorghiu.

on March 25, 2009 at 5:20 PM

According to a release from the Met’s press office, “Margaret Jane Wray will sing the role of Santuzza in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana tonight, replacing Waltraud Meier, who is ill.”

on March 23, 2009 at 2:38 PM

According to a press release from the Met, “René Pape has withdrawn from the Met’s 125th Anniversary Gala on Sunday, March 15, due to illness.”   The cancellation starts a daisy chain of cast reshuffling, so listen carefully: John Tomlinson will sing the Death Scene from Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, replacing Pape.  James Morris will sing Wotan in…

on March 12, 2009 at 11:38 AM

Christine Brewer and Linda Watson will share the role of Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen in all performances at the Met this season. Lisa Gasteen was originally scheduled to sing Brünnhilde in the second and third cycles, but has withdrawn from the performances due to a back injury. Brewer will replace her in…

on March 04, 2009 at 4:37 PM