Barton glances Barton glances

The annual Richard Tucker Gala is probably the event of the year to indulge your love of verismo staples and can belto screaming.

Veiled threat Veiled threat

Angela Gheorghiu‘ s idiosyncratically alluring, sometimes maddening, always fascinating Floria Tosca inevitably became the evening’s unmissable raison d’être.

Tosca è a palazzo! Tosca è a palazzo!

Angela Gheorghiu is physically in New York and is rehearsing and being fitted for costumes (not pictured) for her impending brace of Tosca performances.

Moon and stars Moon and stars

One of the major complaints about the five year casting system (as well as the shared productions by different companies) is that operatic events are rarely surprises anymore.

The deed to a platinum mine The deed to a platinum mine

No tracks available yet, but the Angela Gheorghiu Christmas album looks very, well, seasonal.

Ten thousand bedrooms Ten thousand bedrooms

The Metropolitan Opera desperately needed a new production of Le nozze di Figaro.

Donc, c’est ce qu’elle appelle “faire la connaissance de Mme Haines” Donc, c’est ce qu’elle appelle “faire la connaissance de Mme Haines”

Some interesting programming in Avignon next season.

Les amours de Carmen ne durent pas six mois Les amours de Carmen ne durent pas six mois

With the well-known guitar player Milos Karadaglic, celebrating the decission of working together on a new, surprising and innovative project.

17 Across: Flamboyant Romanian countertenor (5 letters) 17 Across: Flamboyant Romanian countertenor (5 letters)

“Gheorghiu has admitted a romance with Cézar, a flamboyant Romanian counter-tenor…”

Meeting Mrs. Haines socially Meeting Mrs. Haines socially

The Wiener Staatsoper should be a source of some interesting backstage gossip next September as the company presents on alternating nights Angela Gheorghiu as Tosca and Aleksandra Kurzak as Violetta.

Fire and Ice Fire and Ice

“Don’t listen to a Romanian man who says he prefers a ‘natural’ woman,” says Gheorghiu.

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.

Manca la diva Manca la diva

La Cieca has just heard that Angela Gheorghiu has become indisposed after the first act of Tosca at the San Francisco Opera.

See the pretty diva in that mirror there See the pretty diva in that mirror there

The diva must be a Diva in Adriana Lecouvreur. Fact.

Der Pelz wird fliegen Der Pelz wird fliegen

The guest soloist at the the Wiener Opernball was just introduced as “Rumäniens Antwort auf Anna Netrebko, Angela Gheorghiu.”

Comment n’être pas coquette?

Yes, in this interview with Naomi Lewin, the word “fiasco” gets thrown around a lot.

Good evening starshine

Now, it seems, OONY is returning to its star-driven roots.

Dark sisters

The very brunette leading ladies of Adriana Lecouvreur, Anita Rachvelishvili and Angela Gheorghiu, flank the practically strawberry blond by comparison Jonas Kaufmann during bows last night after Opera Orchestra of New York’s season opener.

Mite, gioconda, atroce

In preparation for tonight’s Angela Gheorghiu/Jonas Kaufmann Sternstunde at Carnegie Hall, La Cieca invites the cher public to share your favorite memories and YouTube clips of Adriana Lecouvreur performances present and past. (Photo: Alastair Muir)

Homage girl

It would be a shame, I think, if EMI’s stunt video of Angela Gheorghiu “in duet” with Maria Callas backfired powerfully enough to prevent serious opera fans (well, okay, let’s say “enthusiastic opera fans,” that’s more like it) from listening to the Romanian diva’s new CD Homage to Maria Callas. There’s a lot on this…

No, after you!

The already notorious or celebrated or whatever it is version of the “Habanera” featuring (in alphabetical order) Maria Callas and Angela Gheorghiu: it’s been released, and you can experience after the jump.

“Dispettosetto questo riccio!”

La Cieca supposes that maybe the reason Angela Gheorghiu doesn’t include any music from Manon Lescaut on her new “Homage to Callas” CD is that she can’t quite identify with the character?

The look your heart can’t disguise

In what is without doubt the final chapter of their on-again, off-again romance, Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna are on again, she says.

Airborne

La Cieca’s spy in London reports: “So first Angela Gheorghiu cancelled this evening’s Traviata Faust at the ROH. On hearing the news, Vittorio Grigolo suddenly came down with a ‘chest infection’ —so the performance is going ahead with James Valenti and Malin Byström.”