Not a Regie quiz, but worthy of note for the “what were they thinking” factor. Here’s a production of Otello directed by the usually visually acute Paul Curran. So why was costumer Paul Edwards allowed to get up the principal artists like they’re en route to a Cypriot fancy dress party? From left to right,…

on November 24, 2008 at 12:07 PM

The solution to our most recent Regie quiz? Seeing is believing! Download Yes, that’s right, the opera was again Aida! Now for this week’s Regie puzzler, which La Cieca promises is not going to be a Verdi opera set in ancient Egypt!

on November 23, 2008 at 2:43 AM

Most everyone caught an “Oriental” vibe from our previous Regie quiz, but only one of you guessed correctly that the opera depicted was Aida, as performed at Staatstheater Stuttgart in October 2008, directed by Karsten Wiegand. Our next little quiz is right after the jump.

on November 17, 2008 at 11:52 AM

Here’s a quiz La Cieca trusts will prove thematically appropriate on this particular night: six sopranos sing “Du bist der Lenz.”

on November 04, 2008 at 7:56 PM

La Cieca can’t put anything over on you any more, cher public. Would you believe that within half an hour after she posted the most recent Regie quiz, Baritenor correctly divined that it was a production of Wagner’s Rienzi, as staged by none other than Wagner’s great-granddaughter Katharina. Maybe this week’s quiz will be a…

on November 02, 2008 at 1:27 AM

The winner of the Which Witch quiz is Lindoro, who will receive Cult Opera of the 1970s. 

on November 01, 2008 at 12:38 AM

You voted, cher public, and La Cieca delivers on her campaign promises. Herewith the three most-requested mystery Ulricas. Use these sound clips wisely in formulating your entries in the Which Witch competition. Ulrica #3 Ulrica #8 Ulrica #11

on October 30, 2008 at 10:00 PM

La Cieca is surprised to note that with only a day left in the spectacular Which Witch competition, there are only a few official entries, with a tie (10 correct each) between the top two contenders. It may be that your doyenne got a little cocky this time around and made the quiz impossibly difficult…

on October 30, 2008 at 10:53 AM

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/akQ4Uhp0DOw” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]  CORRECTION: In the words of the immortal Anna Russell, La Cieca will now shriek, “I can’t count!”  There are in fact 13 singers included in the “Which Witch” quiz/competition, not 11 as your doyenne previously announced. Math is hard!

on October 27, 2008 at 2:54 PM

For the week of Halloween, La Cieca offers her cher public a particularly SPOOKY competition. First, listen to the composite clip below of various artists singing Ulrica’s aria from Un ballo in maschera. Then, if you think you can identify all 13 singers, do so via email to [email protected]. The first email received with all…

on October 26, 2008 at 2:58 PM

Well deducted, various members of the cher public, for indeed the most recent Regie quiz depicted a production of Charpentier’s Louise (as envisioned by Christof Loy for the Deutsche Oper am Rhein.) And what grisly work might this be? (Photos after the jump)

on October 12, 2008 at 1:30 PM

And a very strange Regie our last Regie quiz was, but several of you worked out that the opera was Eugene Onegin, in Achim Freyer‘s new production at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin. And now, cher public, can you name this obviously girly opera? (Remember, if you recognize the production, QUIET — let others…

on October 05, 2008 at 11:28 PM

Some very interesting responses to our previous Regie quiz included a correct one from Melot’s Younger Brother. The opera was indeed Król Roger, a fascinating work which (in audio form) will soon grace Unnatural Acts of Opera. Now, cher public, it’s up to you to decide whether our puzzler this week is the sort of…

on September 21, 2008 at 11:54 PM

The winner of our non-traditional Regie quiz is Graciella Scusi for her clever interpretation of the scenes depicted as moments from Candide. La Cieca was particularly amused by the notion of the Old Lady’s doing a variation on “Find Me a Primitive Man.” The work was, of course, not Candide at all, but rather the…

on September 14, 2008 at 2:33 AM

Cher public, you are getting too clever for this old doyenne. On our most recent Regie quiz, which La Cieca considered so curiously designed as to be unrecognizable, fully half a dozen of you guessed correctly that the opera was La traviata. Cocky Kurwenal was first, but stagelefty also managed to pinpoint the director, Achim…

on September 07, 2008 at 12:02 AM

Our Own Lindoro has contributed a vocal ID quiz based on Liù’s first act aria from Turandot. This one’s just for fun, so feel free to make your guesses in the comments section. Signore, ascolta!

on September 02, 2008 at 11:08 AM

La Cieca can’t put anything past Tamerlano, who guessed the answer to our previous Regie quiz almost immediately: it was indeed Ariadne auf Naxos. And now, with a reminder to all that this is a guessing game, no blurting out the answers if you recognize the production, here’s out next quiz (right after the jump): 

on September 01, 2008 at 1:49 AM

Here’s the solution to the Elfte Brautnacht! vocal ID quiz:

on August 25, 2008 at 10:14 PM

Our previous Regie quiz depicted (as Nerva Nelli so quickly guessed) Verdi’s Aida, in a production by Christopher Alden for the Deutsche Oper Berlin. And now, cher public, our weekly edition of Name that Regie. Remember, if you have seen the production or otherwise recognize the photos, please remain silent while others guess the answer!

on August 24, 2008 at 9:25 PM

Here’s a very special audio quiz for La Cieca’s cher public du weekend. In the following mp3 clip, 11 sopranos sing the soaring aria “Zweite Brautnacht!” from Die Ägyptische Helena of Richard Strauss. If you think you can identify these beauties, email [email protected]. The first email received with the names of all 11 sopranos in…

on August 23, 2008 at 5:11 PM

Many of you guessed the solution already, but here’s the trailer from the most recent Regie quiz, this time with its soundtrack restored.

on August 16, 2008 at 10:59 PM

La Cieca’s toughest Regie quiz so far baffled even the cleverest of the cher public. Admittedly it was not exactly a warhorse, but the title should be recognizable enough: Chabrier’s L’etoile. To atone for this perhaps overdone obfuscation, your doyenne offers a special treat this week. It’s a video trailer for an opera, stripped of…

on August 10, 2008 at 2:08 AM

Tamerlano didn’t sound any too confident, but the answer to last week’s Regie quiz was indeed Das Liebesverbot, the early Wagner rarity recently revived at Glimmerglass in a staging by Nicholas Muni. (The photos are by Cory Weaver for Glimmerglass Opera.)  The very male Ryan MacPherson is heard and seen as Luzio in a scene…

on August 04, 2008 at 11:50 AM

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…

on July 31, 2008 at 11:55 PM