In it to win it
Leave it to Maury D (pictured) to show how it’s done.
competition
Viva, viva il nostro Alcide!
Congratulations to Cesare 15 (pictured, right) who came, saw and—after a false start or two—conquered in the very challenging “Piangerò” quiz devised by Our Own DeCaffarrelli!
Richard is better
The Tucker Foundation will be the subject of a special event on Wednesday June 27 at 7 pm, when WQXR’s Naomi Lewin (not pictured)…
Season well
Overture! Light the lights! And what heights you hit indeed, cher public, in La Cieca’s “Gold Standard” competition.
Gold standard
Like everyone else, La Cieca was watching Mad Men last night, and suddenly something clicked.
The seasons alter
It takes a lot from your commenters to surprise La Cieca, but this time she was frankly bowled over by the depth and breadth of your imagination.
As Grimoaldo is to analogies
The superstar of recent competitions is Grimoaldo, particularly his response to the Analogy challenge. Also outstanding, his modesty notwithstanding, is Brooklynpunk, who nailed the “Interpolation” competition and is invited to enjoy the preview of The Enchanted Island tomorrow night.
Once on this “Island”
David Daniels (left) headlines a special sneak preview of The Enchanted Island on Wednesday, December 7 at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. Also on hand will be Danielle de Niese, Lisette Oropesa and Luca Pisaroni, plus the pasticcio’s creative team, writer Jeremy Sams and director-designer team Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch. Midge Woolsey hosts. […]
Interrrupted analogy
A press release just received from the Met ends with what feels like a SAT question that didn’t quite make it out of the gate. The background on the company’s impending HD of Faust includes the following tantalizing paragraph: “The traditional setting for Faust is 16th-century Germany, a time when alchemists and philosophers were familiar […]
“Dark” victories
All La Cieca can say is that so very many of you here shine in diamond splendor, and she only hopes she can stream even a single ray of light into the night of your heart. The results of the “Ian Bostridge” competition are after the jump.
Adès in the dark
Slim British tenor Ian Bostridge arrives in town for a recital on November 28 featuring Thomas Adès‘ “Darknesse Visible,” as well as the work upon which it “reflects,” the John Dowland song “In darkness let me dwell,” as a sort of prelude to an evening of Heinrich Heine settings including the Dichterliebe. And you, cher […]
Our commenters do need prizes
Congratulations to the winners of the “Long Live Passion” Photoshop competition! The identities of the victors and a glimpe of their scathingly beautiful creations, after the jump.
Giudici, ad Angela?
Even though that other soprano, whatever her name is, has garnered a lot of ink for opening the Met season with Anna Bolena, the real news here is the “dream team” Gheorghiu/Callas collaboration, a highlight of which has been the “Divina Draculette” photo retouching competition. La Cieca has sifted the many fine entries and has […]
Photoshop ’til you drop
La Cieca would like to nudge gently the cher public with a reminder that there is only one day left in the great “Divina Draculette” photo retouching competition, noting the slight change in rules calling for you to email La Cieca with your photos. Prizes for the best in show include Sony’s live Met CD […]
Think similar
Oh, this should turn out well: “Angela Gheorghiu has recorded a collection of French and Italian opera arias in tribute to the late Maria Callas for EMI Classics…. included are arias by Puccini, Gounod, Bellini, Leoncavallo, Saint-Saëns, Catalani, Bizet, Giordano, Cherubini, Massenet and Cilèa.” Which gives La Cieca an idea for a competition, after the […]
Casting: pearls before swine
Your season planning for Opera Orchestra of New York, cher public, looks a lot more interesting than what the company’s own artistic adminstration is likely to come up with. Thus far, La Cieca has heard one date for certain: that Eve Queler default choice Rienzi, this time with Elisabete Matos—presumably in the not very interesting […]
OONY thing goes
Our own Dawn Fatale (pictured) dreamt up the Konzept for the following challenge, to which La Cieca is sure the cher public will respond with their usual zeal and whimsy. In this game, it is up to you to program the 2011-12 season for Opera Orchestra of New York, based on a set of criteria […]
(140) Characters needed
“You’re so resourceful, darling! I ought to go to you for plots.” “You ought to go to someone.” La Cieca knows that when plots are in question, she need go no farther than the cher public, which is why she’s reminding you (late in the game, admittedly) of the annual Omniscient Mussel #Operaplot Competition. No, […]
Keiner wie du so hold zu kritisieren weiß
La Cieca (center, in chair) has listened carefully to the Bühnenweihfestspielkrieg commentary of the cher public (also pictured) and, though practically overwhelmed by the brilliance of all of you, really, has managed to settle on a single winner, who, in addition to the hand of Eva Pogner, will receive the complete DVD set of Der […]
Bühnenweihfestspielkrieg
The Germans have a word for everything except what La Cieca is about to propose, which is why she made up her own Mammutwort for, well, a contest having to do with stage productions, specifically those of Wagner music dramas. (The “consecration” is understood, you see.) The rules and what you can win, after the […]
A Verdi decision
“I must say choosing from among these finalists is almost impossible, as there are bits and pieces from each one I like and admire the thought process and the experience each one highlights for us. For me they are all intelligent and quite wonderful— skewed perhaps by their times and what is and is not […]
Wordy for Verdi
In honor of the re-release of Presenting Aprile Millo – Verdi Arias on EMI Classics, La Cieca is delighted to announce a new competition for parterre readers. Details are after the jump.
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).
