That’s entertainment! That’s entertainment!

The highlight of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2014-2015 season is a new production of Manon Lescaut featuring Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann, directed by Claus Guth.

on March 06, 2014 at 7:49 AM
The cup runneth over The cup runneth over

I am grateful to Sony for this new release of the Metropolitan Opera’s latest production of Parsifal and I hope I’m not the only one who discovers what a rich experience this opera can be because of it.

on March 05, 2014 at 1:54 AM
Writers’ block Writers’ block

The last place you’d expect to find opera at all, let alone good, exciting opera, is in still-scrappy Bushwick, Brooklyn.

on February 25, 2014 at 5:36 PM
My knapsack on my back! My knapsack on my back!

Cher public, I give a photograph of Jonas Kaufmann in a hoodie with a teeny birdie on his shoulder.

on February 11, 2014 at 4:22 PM
Critical care Critical care

The experience of watching Wagner’s final opera Parsifal is frequently elevated to a spiritual occurrence, and productions have historically emphasized the religious dimension of the opera’s core themes of redemption and the dangers of temptation.

on December 30, 2013 at 8:08 AM
The pain in Spain The pain in Spain

Just a reminder, cher public, that the live webcast of La forza del destino from the Bayerische Staatsoper is at noon on Saturday, with concurrent chat at La Casa della Cieca.

on December 28, 2013 at 8:30 AM
Oh, signor Johnson Oh, signor Johnson

La Cieca is going to go out on a not very long limb here and say that Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West is a great role for Jonas Kaufmann and may well turn out to be one of his three or four greatest.

on October 14, 2013 at 1:06 AM
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.

on August 14, 2013 at 3:59 PM
“Schau sie an, ein Gefangener der Gosse” “Schau sie an, ein Gefangener der Gosse”

In a starling last-minute change of programming, the Salzburg Festival has canceled all further performances of the critically-reviled Peter Stein production of Don Carlos. Weltstars Anja Harteros and Jonas Kaufmann will instead perform My Fair Lady (pictured).

on August 14, 2013 at 10:30 AM
Nacht und Träume Nacht und Träume

We waited eagerly to hear the Munich-born Jonas Kaufmann make his role debut as Manrico at the Bavarian State Opera as well the German-Greek soprano Anja Harteros take on Leonora’s bravura difficult arias.

on July 06, 2013 at 11:30 AM
Hysterical blindness Hysterical blindness

Before we Yanks all go our merry ways for the July 4 holiday, here’s a quick reminder of this summer’s must-see.

on July 03, 2013 at 11:44 AM
Semi tough Semi tough

Here’s Jonas Kaufmann last night in Munich, singing Manrico’s scena from Trovatore

on June 28, 2013 at 8:01 AM
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.

on May 20, 2013 at 8:51 PM
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.

on March 11, 2013 at 5:56 PM
Somebody to love Somebody to love

If Jonas Kaufmann isn’t quite a household name yet, it’s only a matter of time.

on March 01, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Equal rites Equal rites

As with all good myths, certainly all the myths at the heart of Wagner’s operas, the juggling of symbols and archetypes and themes in Parsifal opens the piece to a great variety of interpretations.

on February 21, 2013 at 11:41 PM
One touch of venous One touch of venous

Like the hero of Parsifal, who finds the Holy Grail after a lifetime of frustrated wandering, the Met’s audience was finally rewarded for its patience.

on February 17, 2013 at 11:39 PM
Ring à la russe Ring à la russe

Wagner is becoming an important calling card for Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre.

on February 11, 2013 at 2:10 PM
Under a linden tree Under a linden tree

A new CD features the ten most gorgeous minutes recorded by a tenor in Wagner since World War II.

on January 31, 2013 at 1:43 AM
I am missing the winter now I am missing the winter now

One quick way to warm up: Watching tenor heartthrob Roberto Alagna.

on January 03, 2013 at 11:48 PM
Wingless victory Wingless victory

Of particular visual interest in last weekend’s Lohengrin (though not perhaps so tantalizing as Jonas Kaufmann‘s aristocratic bare feet, pictured above) is the very obvious change in the staging that was made between the antegenerale (in which Anja Harteros sang Elsa) and the telecast opening night.

on December 12, 2012 at 2:08 AM
The woman in white The woman in white

This new DVD release from EMI of the Royal Opera’s latest production of Puccini’s Tosca will no doubt be snatched up by hordes of grateful fans around the globe.

on December 02, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Our retrospection will now be all to the future Our retrospection will now be all to the future

La Cieca predicts you won’t be seeing any puritans at the Met next season, except of course for the ones who slouch around during intermission hissing, “You call that a trill?”

on October 22, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Scent of mystery Scent of mystery

La Cieca has been sniffing around her generally reliable (and fragrant) sources, and she thinks she has pieced together a list of the dozen operas to be featured in the 2013-2014 season of “The Met: Live in HD.”

on October 07, 2012 at 2:17 PM
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