Angela Gheorghiu will not sing Carmen at the Met this season. Says the diva: “To make so important a debut as Carmen, I want to be as prepared dramatically as I am musically. Therefore, I will postpone my role debut until a later date when I can work intensely with the Richard Eyre production.” Kate […]
According to an Angela Gheorghiu fansite (and what more reliable source could La Cieca ask?), the raven-tressed diva stated in an interview on Romanian television that she and current husband Roberto Alagna have no current plans to change their current matrimonial status.
The indisputable star of the new Naxos DVD of Franco Alfano’s Cyrano de Bergerac, filmed at the Palau de les Arts ‘Reina Sofia’ in Valencia and directed by Michal Znaniecki, is, as in all other stage, operatic and film adaptations of the Cyrano story, the enormous prosthetic nose worn by the title character. The nose […]
So, I was asking my friends with Met Opera insider connections about the new Hoffmann production directed by Bartlett Sher. Seemingly conceived under an unlucky star, this production first lost two of its four heroines when Anna Netrebko decided not sing Olympia and Giulietta but kept Antonia and also Stella, leaving the dramaturgy somewhat lopsided.
La Cieca is delighted to announce the 2009-2010 Saturday afternoon broadcast season brought to you by the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera Radio Network, beginning December 12. For each of these broadcasts, La Cieca will host (or at least leave the doors open for) a chat amongst the cher public.
“Voglio essere giudicato per la musica e nient’altro che per la musica.” “I want to be judged for my music and nothing but my music.” This phrase, which Mascagni himself wrote to his publisher Sonzogno, is the key to understanding the very essence and existence of L’amico Fritz (1891). Cavalleria rusticana, Mascagni’s first performed opera, […]
Why does La Cieca suspect that Angela Gheorghiu has, for the moment anyway, forgotten the denouement of Bizet’s opera?
According to Opera Chic, the Alagnas will announce their plans to divorce tomorrow. (That is, they will make an announcement tomorrow; the actual proceedings are likely a little farther down the road.) You may remember that La Cieca hinted at this sad eventuality several months ago. [UPDATE: As noted in the comments below, Alagna is […]
So, was anyone at Saturday night’s performance by the Boston Symphony? How’s James Levine doing with that back problem? And doesn’t it seem that a maestro who has had a history of delicate health should maybe at this point decide whether he wants BSO or the Met — particularly when both these organizations have elaborate […]
Presenting just for you, cher public, the complete Sirius/XM Metropolitan Opera broadcast schedule for 2009-1010. Performances on dates highlighted in bold will also be streamed via RealNetworks from the Met’s website. Season premieres are marked with (P). Obviously you are going to want to chat about some of these broadcasts, so let La Cieca know in […]
Angela Gheorghiu, not to be outdone by Anna Netrebko‘s cancellation of Violetta in 2010, has just announced that she will not sing Carmen in 2009. According to the Romanian diva’s website, “With deep regret Angela Gheorghiu has to announce that she has to withdraw just from the new production of CARMEN at the MET later […]
You know, La Cieca and her alter ego JJ are just like the pair in that lovely song by Mr. Sondheim, “The Story of Lucy and Jessie.” Well, not just like, perhaps. La Cieca can hardly be accused of having “maturity and plenty of security” and dear JJ does not exactly boast “the purity along […]
La Cieca has found further proof that time is cyclical. Presenting, from over 60 years ago, a film documentary about a production of Carmen that has not taken place yet — if indeed it ever will!
Mary-Louise Parker, who smokes pot on TV; Angela Gheorghiu, who sings Carmen next year at the Met.
Nicole Cabell sings Adina at the Met tonight, replacing Angela Gheorghiu. (Those of you keeping score at home will note that of the quartet of singers originally announced for this performance, only Franco Vassallo remains.)
Why did Mary Dunleavy spend most of her day Saturday at the Met rehearsing and having a costume fitting for L’elsir d’amore? Is Angela Gheorghiu sick? Is Nicole Cabell sick? Is AG about to walk out of a performance or two because of the recent tenor switcheroo? Is NC fired?
The Met’s season premiere of L’elisir d’amore, starring Angela Gheorghiu and Massimo Giordano, is tonight’s topic of discussion. Listen at 8:00 pm on Sirius or RealNetworks and chat, chat, chat!
And people say that in olden days singers used more chest! Ha, says La Cieca. Ha!
A source close to the Met whispers to La Cieca that Rolando Villazon “will cancel” the first performance of L’elisir d’amore at the house on March 31. This, La Cieca should mention, is based on an overheard conversation between Sarah Billinghurst and Angela Gheorghiu.
In case you’re wondering why Roberto Alagna‘s Roméo suddenly sprouted baby-blue capri pants between dress rehearsal and opening night, well, cherchez la femme, as they say. “It was a little bit tricky,” [Alagna] laughs. “They gave me a sort of, I don’t know, very short underwear. It was right for the situation, but Angela didn’t agree. […]
A preview of the new (and now available) Angela Gheorghiu/Jonas Kaufmann/Antonio Pappano performance of Madama Butterfly — a rare avatar of that extinct species the “studio recording.” Amazon.com Widgets (If you don’t see the amazon player above, try here.)
[Our Own Gualtier Malde (along with a few thousand other people) attended the public dress rehearsal of the Met’s new production of La sonnambula this morning. Here is his report.] Innocence, rustic naiveté and virginity just don’t get no respect no more. I should know, I grew up way out in central New Jersey and […]
Angela Gheorghiu has canceled tonight’s performance of Rondine at the Met; presumably Maureen O’Flynn Katie Van Kooten will go on.
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
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