Alma costanza Alma costanza

“The Met also said a new production of Bellini’s Norma with Anna Netrebko and Joyce DiDonato will open the 2017-18 season.”

Para eso no hay que tener mucha vergüenza ni poca Para eso no hay que tener mucha vergüenza ni poca

La Cieca finds it difficult to imagine any more offbeat casting than the sublime Joyce DiDonato as “The Worst Singer in the World.”

Wan lake Wan lake

The sound of Joyce DiDonato, Lawrence Brownlee and John Osborn nailing La Donna del Lago’s thrilling second-act trio alone made worthwhile enduring one of the ugliest, most bone-headed productions seen at the Metropolitan Opera in many a year.

“It’s been a lot of fun” “It’s been a lot of fun”

Joyce DiDonato and Rufus Wainwright will discuss a variety of topics…”

Tony, “Danza” Tony, “Danza”

Exclusively for you, the loyal parterriani, here’s a sneak preview video from Joyce and Tony: Live at Wigmore Hall.

“The cold bothered me, anyway” “The cold bothered me, anyway”

“It was the chilliest opening night at the Met in years on Monday—barely 15 degrees when the curtain went up on the company premiere of La Donna del Lago.

One for the woad One for the woad

Ellen Douglas finds herself in Act II of Rossini’s La Donna del Lago in the far from unusual operatic position of having her love claimed by two impassioned tenors in the bel canto version of a macho drag race.

Star, crossed Star, crossed

The key to enjoying Bellini’s I Capuleti e Montechi is to do a hard factory reset and reformat your brain to forget all other works based on Romeo and Juliet.

Words to the heat of deeds to Colbran gives Words to the heat of deeds to Colbran gives

A young friend messaged me to ask if I knew Rossini’s Macbeth.

“Rachel, please, it can’t matter to you!” “Rachel, please, it can’t matter to you!”

Finally the mystery has been solved: glamorous Joyce DiDonato and mousy Rachel DiDonato (pictured, left to right) are really the same person!

In witch we serve In witch we serve

Sunday afternoon’s intermittently involving concert performance of Handel’s Alcina at Carnegie Hall starred an unusually intense Joyce DiDonato as a powerful sorceress blinded by her romantic delusions.

Stella for star! Stella for star!

Tonight, Joyce DiDonato will perform the music from her new album Stella di Napoli at the Gowanus Ballroom.

The lady’s a star The lady’s a star

I just arrived back from Stella di Napoli’s.

Stella di Gowanus Stella di Gowanus

Joyce DiDonato will launch her new “Stella di Napoli” CD with a intime performance in partership with LoftOpera at the Gowanus Ballroom in Brooklyn.

Red queen Red queen

Joyce DiDonato is taking her Mary Stuart on the road, so to speak.

Count me in Count me in

The legions of New York opera buffs who now can’t talk about anything but Javier Camarena will be happy to know that there’s now a DVD release of their new favorite tenor in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory available.

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday

Joyce, Javier and now Julia—this week these three remarkable Js brought New York City memorable “Cinderella stories.”

Goodness had everything to do with it Goodness had everything to do with it

The Met stage was filled with considerable magic Monday night when its dizzily effervescent revival of La Cenerentola starring Joyce DiDonato and Javier Camarena stirred a bewitched audience to some of the most ecstatic ovations heard this season.

Fan service Fan service

It’s hard to come up with any sensible reason to dislike Joyce DiDonato.

A place behind the sun A place behind the sun

How better to launch this week’s general interest discussion than with a video of Joyce DiDonato singing “Over the Rainbow” at the Last Night of the Proms?

Equal temperament Equal temperament

On the occasion of “the greatest party for Classical Music on the planet,” the Last Night of the Proms, mezzo Joyce DiDonato quietly (but audibly) takes a stand for equality.

We’ll settle that tonight! We’ll settle that tonight!

La Cieca has been wining, dining and otherwise wooing her Met connection (pictured above) and he (or is it she?) has come across with some tidbits about upcoming seasons at Casa Gelb.

And the 2013 Pubies go to… And the 2013 Pubies go to…

One startling upset catches the eye among the many winners (if that is the word) of the 2013 Parterre Box Awards.

Teen spirit Teen spirit

La Cieca thought it would be amusing to do a bit of speculation about what’s to come as we approach the middle of the decade.