I shall be released I shall be released

Welcome, beloveds, to the Jessye Norman Memorial Museum. I’ll be the docent for your tour today.

on April 04, 2023 at 10:37 AM
Isle, follow my secret heart Isle, follow my secret heart

On this day in 1993, the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Ariadne auf Naxos.

on March 11, 2023 at 6:00 AM
Jessye, three ways Jessye, three ways

We have two reasons for celebrating Jessye Norman and the first is a release on the BBC / London Philharmonic Orchestra label of a Richard Strauss concert.

on March 08, 2022 at 3:50 PM
Singing through Singing through

A near-full house attended the Jessye Norman Memorial Celebration at the Met on Sunday afternoon, the auditorium packed with family, friends, colleagues, and fans of the late soprano, who passed away on September 30 of this year.

on November 25, 2019 at 8:57 AM
Thoroughly Modern Jessye Thoroughly Modern Jessye

A second Trove Thursday marking the recent passing of Jessye Norman focuses on the soprano’s catholic repertoire with three 20th century works: Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex; Berg’s Altenberg Lieder; and Franck’s Les Béatitudes.

on November 14, 2019 at 9:41 AM
Situation critical Situation critical

With all the greatest respect for Jessye Norman as an artist, I do wish people would stop quoting her vain and defensive statements about critics as if she were some kind of oracle.

on October 22, 2019 at 11:03 AM
First and foremost First and foremost

They say you never forget your first.

on October 14, 2019 at 11:00 AM
Jessye Norman 1945-2019 Jessye Norman 1945-2019

The Grammy winning opera and concert singer is dead. She was 74.

on September 30, 2019 at 5:43 PM
The Price is wrong The Price is wrong

“This guy stood up and asked the diva what it felt like getting trapped inside the stage pyramid during the Met’s premiere of Antony and Cleopatra.”

on December 17, 2018 at 9:45 PM
You mean the butcher, Grandma You mean the butcher, Grandma

La Cieca wishes to be among the first to congratulate Jessye Norman, who has emerged from semi-retirement to leap upon the musical theater bandwagon.

on July 26, 2018 at 4:54 PM
Tongue tied Tongue tied

“Trove Thursday”’s latest folie de grandeur is an overflowing three-part explosion of post-war divas in live performances of unexpected arias always in the “wrong language.”

on June 28, 2018 at 9:00 AM
Geh such dir die Stars vom vergangenen Jahr! Geh such dir die Stars vom vergangenen Jahr!

Tristan has been the season-launching opera three times before now, but good luck finding someone to provide a firsthand account of the last time.

on September 23, 2016 at 3:20 AM
Winter afternoon’s dream Winter afternoon’s dream

It took the better part of a decade—including two high-profile cancelations—or New York to finally hear Anna Netrebko in recital.

on February 29, 2016 at 9:35 AM
She declares witheringly She declares witheringly

“Dress size is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone.”

on July 02, 2014 at 9:55 AM
Erwartung at Emerson’s Bar and Grill Erwartung at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

La Cieca wishes the divine Jessye Norman the very best of luck with her newly-released autobiography Stand Up Straight and Sing, because—not to put too fine a point on it—it doesn’t look like the diva is going to make much of a go of her second career as a saloon singer.

on May 10, 2014 at 1:24 PM
Putting on the Ritz Putting on the Ritz

Leave it to that savviest of all divas, Jessye Norman, to work a subtle product placement into the very first chapter of her newly-released autobiography, Stand Up Straight and Sing.

on May 07, 2014 at 12:26 AM