The three faces of Sondra The three faces of Sondra

It was a gloomy, chilly, rainy day in Chicago on Sunday afternoon, a perfect reflection of the sad and gloomy fates of the title characters in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s presentation of The Three Queens.

on December 03, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Leb’ wohl, du kühnes, herrliches fashion victim! Leb’ wohl, du kühnes, herrliches fashion victim!

Yes, this is the image Lyric Opera of Chicago has chosen to promote its upcoming performances of Der Ring des Nibelungen on social media.

on November 07, 2019 at 6:37 PM
For those about to frock For those about to frock

Says Jamie Barton: “It’s so important for me to stand up proudly as a bisexual woman.”

on September 01, 2019 at 12:00 PM
Say no to the dress Say no to the dress

This is just plain depressing.

on June 25, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Duvet sono Duvet sono

“I have been looking for a hydrangea print for years,” she told reporters.

on June 24, 2019 at 8:29 PM
Lace misérables Lace misérables

“Carmencita Gets Caught in a Sudden Summer Rainstorm.”

on June 05, 2019 at 3:40 PM
And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you

Alluring soprano star Danielle de Niese, wife of Glyndebourne Opera boss Gus Christie, had that sinking feeling when she arrived for a performance at the Arts Club in Mayfair—and discovered her glamorous gowns were missing!

on October 14, 2013 at 11:49 PM

As if wowing a capacity crowd at his Met debut recital were not enough, protean performer Andrea Bocelli has branched out into an entirely new field as a wardrobe stylist. He’s pictured here with satisfied clients Angela Gheorghiu and Renée Fleming.

on February 24, 2011 at 12:43 PM

Lovely Marina Poplavskaya, arriving at the Mercedes T. Bass Grand Tier for dinner following the opening night of La traviata, demonstrates that the previous Franco Zeffirelli production has not gone to waste. The latter-day Scarlett O’Hara‘s motto: “Reduce Reuse Recycle!”

on January 05, 2011 at 11:07 AM

“Director Manfred Schweigkofler conceives a new production that pits the Capulets and Montagues against one another as dueling fashion houses. Against a backdrop of models, paparazzi and high style, Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other unfolds to its deadly conclusion.” [Opera Company of Philadelphia]

on February 03, 2010 at 4:44 PM

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?

on September 23, 2009 at 3:13 PM

“Verismo,” Renée Fleming informs us, “means truth.” What better demonstration of this artist’s dedication to the real-life (not to say the mundane) than her apparent decision to fire her stylist and hairdresser in hopes of achieving a greater naturalism of appearance. Indeed, La Cieca would say that Fleming has succeeded: at least as documented in…

on August 19, 2009 at 2:01 PM

La Cieca is fully aware that Anna Netrebko is a dress size or two bigger now than she was a couple of years ago. And yet, there is no excuse, no excuse I tell you, to transform the young courtesan Violetta Valery into the middle-aged dowager Mrs. Claypool. Now, La Cieca has a couple of…

on June 15, 2009 at 11:59 AM

Renée Fleming, known as “The Beautiful Voice” and “Diva of the Future,” has won a new whaddyacallit, a new, uh, sobriquet. Courtesy of commenter Camille, Ms. Fleming will henceforth be known as “Opera MILF.” (At last night’s 125th Anniversary Gala, La Fleming rocked “a costume based on the one worn by Maria Jeritza for [Die…

on March 16, 2009 at 1:24 PM

A member of the cher public reports that a note in the program for tonight’s concert performance of the Der Rosenkavalier in Paris reads: “Renee Fleming wears a dress by John Galliano created specially for the Gala Opening of the Metropolitan Opera on September 22, 2008.”

on February 04, 2009 at 10:40 PM

Our Own Gualtier Maldè reports: Not every opera has to be a masterpiece.  I couldn’t subsist on a steady diet of Tristan und Isolde, Die Zauberfloete, Fidelio, plus Otello,  Falstaff et al.  Frankly the occasional light comic bonbon or trashy but fun melodramatic tunefest makes a nice palate cleanser.  I am talking Adriana Lecouvreur, La…

on December 12, 2008 at 4:42 PM

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. 

on December 09, 2008 at 1:13 PM

In what La Cieca believes is the gayest photograph ever taken, Rufus Wainwright strikes a pose with Faye Dunaway on the red carpet at the Met’s opening night. More heart-warming news from Women’s Wear Daily: Oscar de la Renta will not, after all, boycott the Met as he previously threatened.  The designer had complained to…

on September 24, 2008 at 11:19 AM

Diva of the Future Renée Fleming, whose impending assignments include modeling four couture gowns on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, is shown here making a septuagenarian female impersonator look positively chic by comparison.

on September 04, 2008 at 12:35 PM

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/3mmpcdNNMos” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] Thackeray Gnomey has already pointed out this video in the comments, but La Cieca feels with all her heart that it deserves a featured place on this site. Among the subtler pleasures of this cavalcade of visual filth: the expression of stoic acceptance on the face of Waltraud Meier.…

on July 16, 2008 at 10:36 PM

As if the aural presence of The Beautiful Voice were not enough to justify five-figure ticket prices, the Metropolitan Opera’s opening night on Monday, September 22 will feature four couture creations to bedeck Renée Fleming in her gala program. Fashion legends John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel will design costumes for the star soprano’s…

on July 10, 2008 at 2:23 PM