Anger’s aweigh
It was a night a-tingle with excitement at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Metropolitan Opera
The mothership and mecca of opera in America—and home base for Parterre Box.
Ricevete la mercè de’vostri onori
Join the party, cher public, for the free web broadcast of Macbeth tonight starting at 7:15. Of course, La Casa della Cieca will be buzzing!
Day of victory
That miracle of the internet age, the slow leak, has begun.
One more into the breeches
“Norwegian mezzo-soprano Ingeborg Gillebo will make her Met debut singing the role of Cherubino in this evening’s performance of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, replacing Isabel Leonard, who is ill.”
Avec la garde montante
Brandon Jovanovich has agreed at short notice to step into the role of Don José in this evening’s performance of Carmen, replacing Aleksandrs Antonenko, who is ill.
When she has sung her songs
Given Anna Netrebko‘s continuing success at the Met in Macbeth (as evidenced by an mid-scene “brava” in last night’s Sirius broadcast), it’s time to think about the future—specifically her local assignments for next season.
Ten thousand bedrooms
The Metropolitan Opera desperately needed a new production of Le nozze di Figaro.
Pape music
There is something so very Don Draper about René Pape .
Hysterical blondeness
Wednesday brought the Met’s “real” season opener, an indelible, indispensable night at the opera: a starry revival of Verdi’s Macbeth crowned by Anna Netrebko’s demented Lady.
Non posso nemmeno
“Thank goodness the Met’s new production by Richard Eyre lacks a bold new concept.”
Bohemian girl
The Met press office announces: “Hei-Kyung Hong will sing the role of Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème on September 26 and 29, replacing Ekaterina Scherbachenko, who is ill.”
Wedding bell blues
“So it’s twice as disappointing that Monday night’s performance of the Mozart masterpiece turned into a four-hour fizzle.”
Chorus of the exiled protesters
“I applaud the Klinghoffer protesters for voicing their opinions, but that doesn’t stop me from saying that I find those opinions ill-informed, inept and downright dangerous.”
Tiara in the aisles
Our Own JJ (pictured) is off to cover the Met’s opening night.
Femmes fatales
You’ve cast your votes for the operas you most look forward to hearing at the Met this fall, and if the opera has “Macbeth” in the title, you’re there.
Le déluge
The very busy Met press office announces: “The Metropolitan Opera announces cast changes for this season’s performances of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Verdi’s Aida, and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.”
It’s a good career
Music Director James Levine (pictured, left) is obviously feeling well enough that he can get back to favorite pastime, i.e., making sure nobody else has a success except him.
Leaner in
The Metropolitan Opera just announced that 22 positions from its administrative staff of 254 have been eliminated as part of a company-wide program of cost cutting.
Vital statistics
Now that you know how to obtain same-day tickets to the Met, cher public, all that remains is deciding which operas you intend to see.
Contessa, stop the music!
“American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen, who last week won First Prize at the prestigious Operalia competition, will make her Met debut as Countess Almaviva in this December’s performances of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.”
Ships in the night
As dear Rosalind Russell once said, “Politics makes strange bedclothes.”
Luke swarm
La Cieca (pictured) fears that the parterre hive mind proved itself populated with more drones than workers this time around.
Crunching the numbers
Now that it appears the Met’s labor crisis has been averted by successful completion of contract negotiations, La Cieca thought the cher public might be interested in seeing the exact terms of at least one of the pacts.
Belt, tightened
AGMA and Local 802 “have agreed to cut a little more than 7% of their members’ compensation during the first year of the four-year contract, growing to 7% in the second and third years.”
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
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!
I’ll take the fall
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).
