And now, cher public, let’s put today’s singers, the Contemporary Divas, under the microscope. How do they stack up?

on September 22, 2010 at 7:30 AM

Monsters and Critics reveals: “Although acclaimed mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in the world of classical music, she says she is still anxious ahead of every performance. In an interview with the German Press Agency dpa this week, the 44-year-old Italian opera star said a certain dose of stage…

on September 21, 2010 at 3:19 PM

We begin our Kang Method statistical analysis of That Which is Called Diva with a dozen Classic Divas:  Hildegard Behrens, Montserrat Caballé, Régine Crespin, Mirella Freni, Marilyn Horne, Christa Ludwig, Jessye Norman, Leontyne Price, Leonie Rysanek, Renata Scotto, Joan Sutherland and Tatiana Troyanos, henceforth called by first name or nickname as applicable. Our first report…

on September 20, 2010 at 4:46 PM

La Cieca is delighted to announce a week-long series of investigative reports deciding once and for all the question “Who is the greatest opera diva of our generation?”

on September 20, 2010 at 1:04 PM

La Cieca invites the cher public to act as blue-ribbon panel in selecting the singers to be included in the “Greatest Diva” study.  Voting after the jump. 

on September 13, 2010 at 12:10 PM

La Cieca was delighted, amused and infuriated (three of her favorite emotions) when she read yet another wonderful piece over at The Awl yesterday, a statistical analysis determining The Greatest Diva of the Past 25 Years. This treatise, by one Jay Caspian Kang, was limited in scope to ladies inhabiting the realm of popular music,…

on September 09, 2010 at 7:35 PM

La Cieca wishes she could write a caption so deadpan.

on September 08, 2010 at 2:56 PM

Our own JJ (not pictured) revisits A Little Night Music, and who should be inhabiting that chateau extravagantly overstaffed but Elaine Stritch? [Capital New York]

on August 09, 2010 at 10:14 AM

La Cieca’s fans worldwide will be happy to note that she doesn’t think scandals are limited to only New York and Bayreuth. In fact, wherever Patti LuPone goes, scandale follows. Right now, La LuPone is in Chicago, and, yes, the Hogtown natives are restless.

on August 02, 2010 at 7:06 PM

Legendary diva Martina Arroyo chats with Our Own JJ about learning, teaching and The Odd Couple. [New York Post]

on July 08, 2010 at 7:59 AM

La Cieca is of the opinion that there are some sopranos who can act Manon, some who can sing Manon, and some who simply are Manon. This snippet from a recent interview may suggest which category Anna Netrebko fits into. 

on June 18, 2010 at 3:14 PM

The American mezzo-soprano and soprano is 79 years old today.

on May 31, 2010 at 12:23 PM

While we’re waiting for further news on the final Tosca of the Met season, La Cieca suggests we consider the diva and the non-diva, on the other side of the jump.

on May 10, 2010 at 4:54 PM

La Cieca presents the first in a series of speculations why seemingly talented and well-respected artists don’t get hired — or rehired — by the Met.

on May 06, 2010 at 10:27 AM

The legendary mezzo-soprano is 75 today.

on April 22, 2010 at 4:44 PM

The American soprano was born April 18, 1948.

on April 18, 2010 at 9:34 AM

The diva is 77 today! 

on April 12, 2010 at 3:10 PM

This Greek mezzo-soprano, born 1944 [!] is seen at a concert last month [!!!]. For this kind of quality work, we all need to start saving our money, cher public.

on April 07, 2010 at 7:11 PM

Saturday evening Kiri te Kanawa sang the first of her final two Marschallins at the Cologne Opera House. The reason for this rather unexpected return to one of her signature parts seems to have been a sentimental one:

on April 05, 2010 at 12:48 PM

“Diva! The very word evokes tantrums, unreasonable demands — and the wrath of Aretha Franklin denied her Snickers bar.” Our Own JJ (not pictured) discusses divadom with Angela Gheorghiu in the New York Post.

on March 29, 2010 at 8:05 AM

Happiest 100th birthday greetings to the legendary Magda Olivero! In celebration, let’s enjoy a recital from December 13, 1977 in Dallas, Texas, with Ivan Davis, piano.

on March 25, 2010 at 12:01 AM

Angela Gheorghiu will sing Mimì at the Met’s last performance of Boheme this season tomorrow afternoon, replacing Anna Netrebko who is ill. Angie’s in town (already?) in preparation for her performances in La traviata beginning March 29.

on March 19, 2010 at 10:04 AM

David Gockley has accepted Elina Garanca‘s withdrawal for “personal reasons” from San Francisco after discovering a “series of European concerts has been recently announced on Ms. Garanca’s website during the Werther performance schedule.”  [La Cieca earlier reported this story as Gockley’s giving “the boot” to Garanca, which was not accurate.]

on March 17, 2010 at 5:07 PM

Although she has made headlines on this side of the Atlantic largely because of her recent dismissal by Franco Zeffirelli from a Roman production of La traviata on the grounds of “physical inadequacy,”  Daniela Dessì is a topflight star in Europe. In her native Italy she is arguably the most popular soprano currently active. Over…

on March 15, 2010 at 11:56 AM
WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.