Return of the Merolini Return of the Merolini

On June 16, San Francisco Opera concluded their excellent Centennial Season with a heartfelt 100th Anniversary Concert, featuring a starry cast, three conductors (including current and former Music Directors) and the SF Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

on June 21, 2023 at 7:00 AM
This is a gala day for you This is a gala day for you

On October 14, 1979 I spent my birthday attending my first all-star opera gala, thrilled at the chance to hear some of the great singers I’d only experienced on LPs, broadcasts or via my pirate reel-to-reel tapes.

on October 14, 2022 at 10:00 AM
The Verdi thing The Verdi thing

On Thursday June 30th, San Francisco Opera closed their summer season with a one-night-only special concert celebrating Eun Sun Kim’s first season as the Caroline H. Hume Music Director, in an aptly named concert “Eun Sun Kim Conducts Verdi.”

on July 05, 2022 at 10:00 AM
A riveder le stelle A riveder le stelle

La Scala opens with an ultra-starry gala.

on December 07, 2020 at 9:00 AM
Virtual gala Virtual gala

Emanuel Ax, Anderson Cooper, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Katie Couric, Renée Fleming, David Foster, Josh Groban, John Lithgow, Kelli O’Hara, Stephen Sondheim, Emma Thompson and John Williams are among the special guests.

on November 19, 2020 at 5:30 PM
A gala day is enough for me A gala day is enough for me

The discussion of the Metropolitan Opera’s “At-Home Gala” set a new record for parterre box articles, with 11,590 pageviews and 1,877 comments!

on May 04, 2020 at 11:24 AM
Queen of the New Year Queen of the New Year

Although the gold glitter cannons detonated at the end of the act were an ostentatious reminder that this was a celebration of the new year, it seemed that the only words on anyone’s lips as the audience filed out of the theater were “Viva Netrebko!”

on January 02, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Silver lining Silver lining

Saturday night, Lyric Opera of Chicago gave us a wonderful evening of vocalism in honoring Renée Fleming’s 25th anniversary at Lyric. 

on March 25, 2019 at 10:58 AM
Her heart will be blessed with the sound of music and she’ll sing once more Her heart will be blessed with the sound of music and she’ll sing once more

“Renée Fleming herself will sing, of course…”

on October 24, 2018 at 11:14 AM
Fathers’ day Fathers’ day

How do we celebrate a long career in opera, particularly one as illustrious as Plácido Domingo‘s? 

on October 23, 2018 at 11:10 AM
The party of Lincoln The party of Lincoln

Recorded on 7 May 2017, 50 Years at Lincoln Center: A Gala Celebration features three dozen Met singers of the present decade, from A(ngela) to Z(eljko).

on January 15, 2018 at 12:42 PM
E avanti a lui russava tutta Roma E avanti a lui russava tutta Roma

The Met got exactly what it asked for: a safely opulent, resolutely unchallenging Tosca that was far from shabby or little but couldn’t have been less shocking

on January 01, 2018 at 12:29 PM
Are the stars out tonight? Are the stars out tonight?

This year’s Richard Tucker Music Foundation’s annual gala concert at Carnegie Hall is marginally less starry than last year’s.

on September 15, 2017 at 1:49 PM
Glitter and be gala Glitter and be gala

Finally, Peter Gelb brings camp back to opera!

on May 09, 2017 at 2:21 PM
Fifty shades of gold Fifty shades of gold

Anticipation of events like the Metropolitan Opera’s 50th Anniversary bash turns me back into the newly opera-soused kid who begged his parents to let him watch the highlights of the Bing Gala on the family color television.

on May 08, 2017 at 12:53 PM
The music, ho! The music, ho!

Here’s where the parterriani will surely gather to hear and to comment upon this evening’s monster gala celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Met’s incumbency at Lincoln Center.

on May 07, 2017 at 3:14 AM
Tucker everlasting Tucker everlasting

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation’s annual gala promises (note, promises) a particularly glittery roster this year.

on August 08, 2016 at 3:01 PM
All tomorrows shall be as today All tomorrows shall be as today

For your Wednesday listening enjoyment, here’s a BBC broadcast of the Gala Farewell to Sir David Webster (pictured, left) at the Royal Opera House on July 9, 1970.

on July 29, 2015 at 10:00 AM
Fans de siècle Fans de siècle

As if listening live to tonight’s gala Met premiere of Die Fledermaus were not frivolity sufficient unto the end of the calendar year, La Cieca and Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin (pictured above, in no particular order) offer an alternative version of Strauss’s operetta for your amusement.

on December 31, 2013 at 10:10 AM
The lady in question The lady in question

… is Anna Netrebko, performing “Vieni, t’affretta” from Verdi’s Macbeth at tonight’s opening gala at the Mariinsky.

on May 02, 2013 at 6:37 PM
La Cieca, like Nature, abhors a vacuum La Cieca, like Nature, abhors a vacuum

“Upon my word,” exclaims La Cieca (pictured at right, in the background), “I could almost swear I see a few empty seats on the other side of theater for the Met’s opening night performance of L’elisir d’amore!”

on September 19, 2012 at 9:29 PM
L’Âge d’Or L’Âge d’Or

A friend of the box just reminded La Cieca that tonight, April 22, 2012 is the 40th anniversary of the farewell gala honoring Sir Rudolf Bing.

on April 22, 2012 at 7:19 PM

La Cieca has learned that The Metropolitan Opera Guild will pay tribute to  legendary American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne (right) on Monday, October 31, when stars, fans of opera, and the cream of New York’s society, business, and civic leaders assemble in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria for the Guild’s 77th Annual Luncheon.

on August 24, 2011 at 4:25 PM

Parterre’s tutelary diva shares espresso and cookies with parterre’s fave scribe Zachary Woolfe in preparation for the gala Met Legends event honoring her next Sunday.

on February 21, 2011 at 12:27 PM