My heart at thy sweet quiz
La Cieca has heard the rumblings (from you, the cher public) that we have not had a singer identification quiz in all too long a while.
mp3
The big sleep
It’s time yet once again for a listening quiz, cher public, courtesy of Our Own armerjaquino.
A time to weep
Don’t let the headline worry you, cher public, what’s coming up after the jump is meant to be good clean fun, with a prize even.
Happy Birthday Birgit Nilsson
La Cieca wants to get a jump on this busy birthday season by offering a remembrance of Birgit Nilsson a day early.
Perder quell’angelo?
Our own JJ (not pictured) received a belated birthday present in the form of an excerpt from last night’s concert in Vienna in which Anna Netrebko spreads her wings for a performance of “D’amor sull’ali rosee,” assisted by the luxe Manrico of Jonas Kaufmann.
More o’ Leonora
Since you so adroitly identified the voice of the mystery Leonora as Anja Harteros, La Cieca thought you might like to hear the soprano in the complete Act 4, Scene 1 of Il trovatore.
E tu nol sai?
A mysterious lady in the shadows of Castellor! Who might she be?
Mai più, mai più
This is the way the public used to greet the entrance of a beloved star, and La Cieca is very unhappy to think that she will never hear the like again.
Who’s that woman?
Faithful and sharp-eared member of the cher public reedroom notes, “…an observation about the Levine 40th Wozzeck CD (Anja Silja/Jose van Dam)—the second CD (acts 2 and 3) has to be a different performance, different cast and different year. It is undoubtedly Hildegard Behrens on the 2nd CD. I don’t know who the baritone is […]
The other side of the moon
In light of all the recent discussion of Norma, La Cieca thought it would be interesting to listen to a great (and controversial) Druidess of the recent past.
Happy Birthday Kirsten Flagstad
The Norwegian dramatic soprano, often called “the voice of the century,” was born 115 years ago today. The hard-working singer became a sensation “overnight” when, after the first act of her Met debut as Sieglinde, she was hailed by intermission commentator Geraldine Farrar as a new star.
Star-spangled girl
The birthday of our nation provides yet one more opportunity for “America’s Diva” Renée Fleming to demonstrate that she is indeed the Patti of our day. No, not Adelina so much, more like Sandi.
Happy Birthday Leopold Stokowski
The American conductor (about whom Wikipedia mildly says “There is some mystery surrounding his early life”) was born in London on April 18, 1882… or perhaps 1887. Or was it Pomerania in 1889?
Bright despair
On this beautiful spring morning, La Cieca is delighted to announce to her cher public that she has uncovered yet another exclusive scoop. For you listening enjoyment on this last day of March, we present the next single to drop from the most talked-about operatic disc since Karita Mattila‘s!
Hun for all
Since Attila is in the forefront of our thoughts right now, and since the prima of the Met’s production won’t be broadcast, La Cieca thought it would be handy to have a Riccardo Muti performance of the Verdi work as a common point of reference.
Together again for the first time
When La Cieca’s wrong, she’s wrong. She really had no idea until today that Leontyne Price and Luciano Pavarotti shared the operatic stage any time besides that one-off Aida in San Francisco. But when confronted with proof in the form of an mp3, well, she’s going to be the first to admit her error.
Left in the dust
A new production of Verdi’s Macbeth? At the Wiener Staatsoper? At a 192 Euro top? And this is what you get?
wild beauty
From deep in the parterre cellar, a glimpse of a long ago Met Hoffmann.
Bella
Colombetta, Colombetta, Apri l’uscio, non farmi penar Del balcon solleva il velo Apri amor se no qui gelo Colombetta, Colombetta, Arlecchino gelando si sta.
Plácido Boccanegra
Selections from the dress rehearsal, Berlin, October 21, 2009. Simon Boccanegra – Plácido Domingo Maria Boccanegra (Amelia) – Anja Harteros Jacopo Fiesco – Kwangchul Youn Gabriele Adorno – Fabio Sartori [“Fabelhafte Schneider”]Conductor – Daniel Barenboim
Transfiguration
The best way to pay tribute to a legendary Wagner interpreter? Why, to perform the “Liebestod” as beautifully as Nina Stemme did at the first Birgit Nilsson Prize Award Ceremony just last week. October 13, 2009 More details about The Birgit Nilsson Prize Award Ceremony 2009 are online.
By La Cieca
Second thoughts
I hate it when this happens. Rosenkavalier Duet
A Tale of Two Guelfis
… and, by the way, an interesting contrast between a “great” conductor of today and a routinier from four decades ago. Carlo Guelfi (with Gatti) 2009 Giangiacomo Guelfi (with Rescigno) 1969
Curious? George.
A hint of what George Gagnidze‘s Scarpia may sound like. Tre sbirri…
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).
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!
