Chest nut
¡Mira! Mean, moody magnificent Manuela Trasobares!
festoonery
Modern Orthodox
Doubling down on its artistic mission, New York City Opera begins a tenuous season with a turgid Bible drama.
An overnight project
La Cieca hopes you will enjoy the following little video (shared with us by the lovely and personable kashania) and that you will be inspired to go and do likewise. (You know what the comments section is for!)
Happy birthday Edith Head
The legendary costume designer for film was born October 28, 1897 in Searchlight, Nevada. Miss Head dressed practically everyone in Hollywood, including Helen Traubel, seen after the jump in an outtake from the 1961 comedy The Ladies’ Man.
Pop goes the peplum!
Well, all La Cieca can think is that the New York City Opera has just plain decided to win your doyenne over, because otherwise how can you explain why the company would present an art installation that combines her two very favorite things in the entire universe, i.e., couture and explosions?
O dieu! que de bijoux!
And people say that in olden days singers used more chest! Ha, says La Cieca. Ha!
art is calling for you
The Met’s $25 weekend ticket program this week features Adriana Lecouvreur. Though La Cieca is naturally remaining mum about this revival until Our Own JJ‘s review appears, she’s more than interested to hear what you, the cher public, think. So if you can get into the Friday night performance via the lottery (or any other […]
sign of lacroix
It turns out that La Cieca’s fanciful prediction (of what Renée Fleming would wear from the Christian Lacroix collection) was not so far off after all! More images from the Met’s Thaïs after the jump.Â
c’est thais, l’idole fragile qui vient pour la derniere chat
La Cieca thanks her cher public for joining her last night for yet another of your doyenne’s notorious online live chats. Starting at 7:45 PM, La Cieca and approximately 50 members of the parterre posse indulged in a little catty camaraderie during the Sirius and RealNetworks broadcast of Massenet’s fin-de-siècle fantasia. UPDATE (Friday): La Cieca’s […]
when divas collide
Next week in New York will be notable for more than just Renée Fleming‘s first local whack at Thaïs. In fact, the night of Wednesday December 10 promises the convergence of two of La Cieca’s favorite demoiselles of dementia, Jessye Normous and Dorothy Bishop performing within minute and blocks of each other. La Bishop’s show, […]
everything but the bloodhounds
Well, the first thing La Cieca will say about the Met’s 125th Anniversary Gala is that for all its sprawling splendor it doesn’t look quite what you’d call entertaining. Or rather let’s say it looks as if it won’t sound very entertaining. The visual element — you know, computer-animated Marc Chagall murals and Waltraud Meier […]
high concept
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, […]
where the boas are
Legendary Ladies from Sweden Zarah Leander and Birgit Nilsson celebrate Christmas 1977 with a belt-off.
project runway
Keep watching parterre.com later this afternoon for a sneak preview of the Met’s Opening Night Renéessance.
fjord foundation
Alaska Governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin (center, in fur) is seen here shmoozing with chorus members following a performance of Götterdämmerung by the Lyric Opera of Wasilla.
i’d like to propose: she’s toast
It seems our lovely Shequida was not what the judges were looking for, not that night, anyway. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/atilzaDBVcg” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] Â
alt rock
Any singer who is known as “The Croatian Yma Sumac” you know already has won a place in La Cieca’s deepest heart of hearts. So the astonishing production values of the theatrical experience that is known as Priinceza na zrnu graÅ¡ka can only add to your doyenne’s abject veneration for the one, the only… Zdenka […]
drag jesus meets mrs. softee
This photo by Nancy Palmieri for The New York Times illustrates a review of Karol Szymanowski’s King Roger, a production that even Tony Tommasini thought was just too gay. Perhaps the cher public have ideas for an alternative caption for this photo?
Climb ev’ry montage
Let us put away gloomy thoughts for a while and enjoy the singing, acting, dancing and costume-changing skills of inimitable Anna Moffo. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/DfM4GxzNYWc” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
the revolution was not televised
But what could be a more perfect salute to Bastille Day than this celebrated 1989 video of Jessye Norman festooned in the Tricouleur and belting out “La Marseillaise?” Â [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/1QQ2k3UpHwQ” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]
schubert alley
La Cieca would not venture to say which of the many selections on the Jessye Norman – A Portrait DVD is the funniest. But this one is certainly right up there. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/8noeFpdfWcQ” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] Also, though it’s been said before, it bears repeating:
i stand warned
From an email promo for Washington National Opera’s current production of Elektra: See Susan Bullock and Christine Goerke Sing Elektra! Washington National Opera stars Susan Bullock and Christine Goerke are featured in these extended excerpts and interviews from a recent production of Strauss’ Elektra in Florence, Italy, directed by Robert Carsen and conducted by Seiji […]
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).
