Some commenters are more perceptive than others when it comes to the game of Name That Regie. In our previous competition, the quick-witted keithmc and the more cautious Ginevera were both correct: the opera is Cherubini’s Medée, in a production by Krzysztof Warlikowski for La Monnaie. The “Amy Winehouse” sorceress in the black pleather sheath…

By on April 20, 2008 at 5:14 PM
50 comments

So we may chat about something besides Miss Battle and the Pope, La Cieca offers you a quiz she’s been keeping in the vault for just such an occasion. It’s devised by Our Own Sanford, and it features 12 vocalists performing the “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5.” Hint: the first voice you hear is that of…

By on April 18, 2008 at 12:38 AM
53 comments

He who guesses first guesses best, as Ping teaches us: our most recent Regiequiz did indeed depict Mozart’s Idomeneo. Now, don’t everybody guess at once this time around!

By on April 14, 2008 at 12:28 AM
64 comments

Okay, the Boheme was too easy. This opera might be a bit more challenging. Guesses? (PS — remember, cher public, if you recognize the production, shhh!)

By on April 10, 2008 at 11:59 PM
49 comments

So, what’s the opera? (If you can’t guess right away, La Cieca will add more photos.)

By on April 08, 2008 at 3:16 PM
35 comments

Congratulations to borkmann, Dr. Hoffmann, Micaëla, emiliadiLiverpool, rysanekfreak and Enrico who all came up with the solution to our most recent Regiequiz. The opera presented is Wagner’s Tannhäuser in a new production by Hans Neuenfels for the Aalto Musiktheater Essen.

By on April 07, 2008 at 3:46 PM
9 comments

Our previous Regiequiz was something of a “gimme,” since so many of you could easily guess it was Das Rheingold. This one may be a bit more difficult.

By on April 04, 2008 at 12:00 PM
102 comments

Sanford‘s mention of his preparation of a vocal identification quiz reminds La Cieca that she has one of these popular puzzlers already on hand. This clip samples nine baritones in “Il balen” from Il trovatore. And La Cieca is sure you all will be quick to identify all nine in the comments section. Il balen…

By on April 03, 2008 at 7:17 PM
58 comments

Lots of interesting guesses, but the previous Regiequiz seems to have stumped our panel. The opera depicted is one that has become something of a favorite of revisionist directors, La Juive. You can see some of the more interesting bits of the staging in context in this video from the Staatsoper Stuttgart:  [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/xEnPr8jbjb0″ width=”425″…

By on March 26, 2008 at 11:08 PM
44 comments

As guessed so cleverly by Nerva, John and a couple of others, our previous Regie puzzler was in fact Gounod’s Faust, with barihunk Marian Pop as the mohawked Valentin. And now for another unusual take on a classic work. Can you guess the opera?

By on March 20, 2008 at 10:07 PM
45 comments

The previous Regie photo (depicting Toby Spence with wiggy hookers) was from a production of The Rake’s Progress. Okay, so which opera might this be? (If you recognize the photo, cher public, DON’T blurt it out!)

By on March 14, 2008 at 5:38 PM
52 comments

Cher public, you have striven valiantly but no one of you has managed to accomplish what was most likely an impossible task: the identification of 14 singers of Violetta in only a few notes. As a group mind, though, you came awfully close. And so, to put an end to this particular source of stress,…

By on March 13, 2008 at 11:25 AM
22 comments

This has to be the strangest staging of a Puccini opera ever! [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/JGa1Z2UlvMY” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] Ah, La Cieca must have her little joke! But seriously, cher public, the previous Regiequiz depicted (as so many of you divined) Parsifal. But wait! If this is Parsifal. . . . . . then surely this…

By on March 08, 2008 at 11:03 PM
18 comments

It has been said that at parterre.com the only way to separate the men from the boys is by calling in the vice cops, but La Cieca begs to differ. Many of the regulars on this site call themselves opera queens, but La Cieca is betting that perhaps one, perhaps several, perhaps none of you…

By on March 08, 2008 at 4:30 PM
75 comments

At long last, the solution to the Casta Diva II Quiz.

By on March 06, 2008 at 10:02 AM
29 comments

Back the photo-only style of Regiequiz, but this production does look awfully chic, doesn’t it? Now if only someone could guess which opera it is!

By on March 05, 2008 at 10:16 PM
53 comments

(If you haven’t had your turn guessing at this week’s Regiequiz, go here.) Brava, Olivia (among others), who guessed the answer to this week’s video Regiequiz. Let’s take a look at the video with the original sound and subtitles restored: 

By on March 03, 2008 at 2:13 PM
10 comments

Our previous Regie quiz returned La Cieca to her position of mysterious superiority since even her very clever cher public weren’t able to figure out that the opera represented was… Das Land des Lächelns. The director was our old, old, old friend Peter Konwitschny. And now for your next challenge.

By on March 02, 2008 at 9:28 PM
47 comments

Dear Beau has been working his fingers to the bone editing together yet of his confounding “Casta diva” compilations. For this “easier” quiz, he has selected Normas represented, and La Cieca thought that this time around the competition part of the quiz might be best carried out in the comments section. First comment with all…

By on March 01, 2008 at 7:40 PM
54 comments

The last couple of quizzes have been perhaps not quite challenging enough for you, cher public. The most recent one, for example, you guessed was Luisa Miller almost immediately. So La Cieca has decided to up the ante a bit.

By on February 24, 2008 at 11:57 PM
60 comments

The solution to the “D’amor al dolce impero” quiz … Maria Callas Renata Scotto Katia Ricciarrelli Christina Deutekom Adelaide Negri Renee Fleming Jennifer Larmore Christine Weidinger Nelly Miricioiu Maja Tabatadze Cecilia Gasdia Montserrat Caballe

By on February 23, 2008 at 1:20 AM
8 comments

UPDATE: We have a winner! Francesco guesses all 12 divas correctly at 2:09 AM today, narrowly defeating Pedro, who achieved another perfect score only three hours later. Congratulations to both gentlemen. The rest of you may continue to play just for fun, and La Cieca will post the solution to the quiz on Friday. The…

By on February 19, 2008 at 1:08 PM
62 comments

… well, not tonight, actually, but on Saturday afternoon, when La Cieca once more will convene the faithful for a live chat on the topic of the Met broadcast of Manon Lescaut. Now, honestly cher public, how was La Cieca to resist? You’ve already read Our Own JJ‘s reaction to the performances of Karita Mattila…

By on February 14, 2008 at 7:31 PM
11 comments

As La Cieca scours the web in search of new candidates for the Regiequiz, she sometimes is simply stopped in her tracks by a Konzept so new, so unusual and so innovative that your doyenne cannot help but shift her paradigm. Such a production is this Aida in (of all conservative places) Vienna.

By on February 14, 2008 at 12:48 PM
10 comments