Last dance Last dance

If it is true that there are few respectable ways for people over 40 without small children to celebrate Halloween, a performance of Richard Strauss’ pioneering horror opera Elektra belongs on the short list.

on November 02, 2022 at 10:52 AM
The amazing race The amazing race

“I think some things should be cast with certain physical types, and the role of Otello is one of them.”

on February 04, 2019 at 4:07 PM
Pyramid scheme Pyramid scheme

Isn’t it inspiring how deeply Francesca Zambello has sunk her tentacles into the heart of American opera?

on February 01, 2017 at 10:17 PM
All’s for the worst in this worst of all possible worlds! All’s for the worst in this worst of all possible worlds!

Two “major” US companies will present in 2017-2018 what La Cieca cannot help but regard as the worst possible combination of director and material.

on January 26, 2017 at 11:50 AM
That ’70s show That ’70s show

Washington National Opera followed up Monday’s lavishly praised Die Walküre with a Siegfried that, if not quite rising to the summit of the previous installment, delivered a musically committed and eminently watchable version of this complicated work.

on May 09, 2016 at 12:14 PM
Burden of gilt Burden of gilt

Happily, this Rheingold, which returned to the Kennedy Center Saturday night to open the first of three complete cycles, has been shorn of its clumsier gestures.

on May 03, 2016 at 10:30 AM
Stop me if you’ve heard this one Stop me if you’ve heard this one

Gala this; gala that; who knew rich people wore clothes so badly?

on September 12, 2015 at 6:12 PM
One night only, one night only, there’s nothing more to say One night only, one night only, there’s nothing more to say

“The Art House in Provincetown, MA, headed by Mark Cortale, will present Metropolitan Opera Star Deborah Voigt in ‘Voigt Lessons’ created by Terrence McNally, Francesca Zambello and Deborah Voigt, for one night only on August 2 at 6:30 PM.”

on July 21, 2015 at 3:18 PM
Escape from nuance Escape from nuance

Just when you though it was impossible to have any less respect for Francesca Zambello

on July 17, 2015 at 2:10 PM
Warhorse Warhorse

Three blocks from the opera house is a terrible time to realize there was homework.

on June 22, 2015 at 1:32 PM
Barn yesterday Barn yesterday

Christine Goerke is the Prima Donna in this scene from Francesca Zambello‘s Glimmerglass production of Ariadne auf Upstate New York, and Did I Mention That the Komponist is a Dyke?

on July 24, 2014 at 5:38 PM
Dish night Dish night

“Superstar soprano Deborah Voigt and powerhouse opera and theater director Francesca Zambello, friends for over 25 years, came to 92Y to talk opera, inspiration, artistry and friendship.”

on May 01, 2014 at 11:41 AM
A coupla white chicks sitting around talking A coupla white chicks sitting around talking

On Wednesday, April 23rd at 8:15 PM, renowned soprano Deborah Voigt and opera and theater director Francesca Zambello, friends for over twenty-five years, join to discuss opera, inspiration, artistry and friendship.

on April 08, 2014 at 12:56 AM
La vita e Club Inferno La vita e Club Inferno

What, you might ask, could a middle-of-the-road middlebrow stage director add to this monumental chef-d’oeuvre?

on July 03, 2013 at 4:32 PM
Busting out Busting out

June Anderson will make the transition into the “Anne Revere” segment of her career next summer when she sings the role of Elvira Griffiths in Tobias Picker‘s An American Tragedy at the Glimmerglass Festival.

on June 20, 2013 at 10:25 AM
Steppin’ 2 the Nile Side Steppin’ 2 the Nile Side

La Cieca would like to take this opportunity to extend kudos to Francesca Zambello and the Glimmerglass Festival on what looks to be their season’s first smash hit: a new production of the classic musical Dreamgirls.

on July 09, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Fairy-lit Fairy-lit

It was dear Oscar Wilde, wasn’t it, who devised that early mot du jour “Good writers borrow; great writers steal”…

on March 23, 2012 at 8:53 AM

Here goes with the End of the Gods and the End of these Ring reviews:  Götterdämmerung was more of a mixed bag than the other operas, but still left a powerful impression. This was where Zambello’s choice to steer clear of heavy spectacle was most evident to me. The cost in grandeur was offset by…

on July 03, 2011 at 12:09 PM

The multi-slashed Manuela Hoelterhoff (Bloomberg editrix/spouse to disgruntled New York City Opera intendant manquée Francesca Zambello/grouch emeritus) dipped her goose quill in venom this morning once again to take on her favorite subject, i.e., how NYCO has gone to hell in a handbasket ever since they didn’t hire her girlfriend to run the place. 

on May 31, 2011 at 10:24 AM

“Zambello, a busy stage director, should have become director of New York City Opera a few years back but was rejected by a sexist board.” [Lebrecht] On a completely unrelated note, happy birthday Beverly Sills!

on May 25, 2011 at 1:13 PM

Providing continuing proof that at any given time there are only about a dozen opera administrators in the entire universe, the currently restructuring Washingon National Opera has selected as its artistic advisor the otherwise criminally underemployed Francesca Zambello.

on May 23, 2011 at 7:34 PM

From time to time the younger queens ask La Cieca, “Why does all the camp date back decades? Did something happen to camp? Why is there no new camp? Where should we look to find our own 21st century camp? Now La Cieca has an answer for you young queens. Look no further! Camp, with…

on August 11, 2010 at 10:06 PM

Given the choice, I’ll take Hans Neuenfels.

on July 25, 2010 at 9:03 PM

Finally, after all these months, La Cieca begins to understand the ways of Fthà in arranging the universe so that Francesca Zambello would be chosen new honcho (honcha?) of the Glimmerglass Festival. At first it seemed this turn of events was to transpire only so that dear  ‘Cesca could stage half-baked feminist rewrites of Annie…

on July 08, 2010 at 5:48 PM
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