The law of diminishing divas
La Cieca invites the cher public to act as blue-ribbon panel in selecting the singers to be included in the “Greatest Diva” study. Voting after the jump.
poll
Put a Ring on it
With over 2,600 votes cast over the course of last week, you, the cher public have spoken about which operas in the Met’s repertoire will be de rigueur, can’t miss, where-the-elite-meet Sternstunden, and which productions promise no more than a great big snooze. The top ten Met offerings will be Die Walküre, Das Rheingold, Le […]
Future conditional
Can you believe it’s less than two weeks before individual tickets go on sale for the Met’s 2010-2011 season? And you know that that means! It’s the time of year when La Cieca invites the cher public, for the sake of less well-informed opera fans (which, relative to you, of course, means just about everyone!) […]
Chad, no longer hanging
Congratulations to SF Guy (pictured), for his winning entry in the “Tout gai!” competition. A copy of the newly-released DVD The Metropolitan Opera Gala 1991: 25th Anniversary at Lincoln Center is currently winging its way City by the Bay-ward.
Gaîté Parterrienne
Congratulations to the many, many of the cher public (pictured above) who really outgayed themselves (if such a thing is possible) with their vigorous and multiple entries in the “Tout gai!” video competition. The results of these perverse efforts can best be summed up in the phrase “gayer than eight guys fucking nine guys,” which […]
Of maestro and men
A member of the cher public reminds La Cieca, “How soon do we start wondering who will conduct the new Rheingold at the Met? I thought I would see Jimmy at Tanglewood next week for the Mahler 2nd, but Mikey Twinkle-Toes will be in charge that evening.” La Cieca’s answer: it’s never too soon to […]
Something for the birds
UPDATE: The results are in, and the topic for this afternoon’s chat session will be Maria Stuarda. Please look after the jump for details.
Mortali! il vostro fato è in vostra mano!
“Even if you’re not going to the concert, you can visit the website www.mariinsky.ru and decide Guleghina’s fate.” These words fraught with doleful moment invite you, the cher public, to play at gods with the repertoire of soprano Maria Guleghina (not pictured).
Greasy poll
Next time you feel like rolling your eyes at one of La Cieca’s informal for-entertainment-only polls, put then back in your head and gaze on this silliness.
It’s an honor just to be nominated
La Cieca is happy to announce that voting season has begun for the 2010 first annual parterre box awards for excellence and repugnance in operatic production and performance during the 2009-2010 season. And now, here’s your chance to choose among this year’s nominees for the “Lorgnette d’Or.”
Levinespringen?
Now that the exciting and welcome news about Fabio Luisi‘s new position as Principal Guest Conductor has had a chance to settle a bit, La Cieca would like to quote an old, old, old friend and suggest that “our retrospection shall be all to the future.” Let’s slip into our Zukunftsbrillen after the jump, shall […]
Cher public dell’abisso affrettati!
La Cieca (not pictured) invites you, her group mind, to help her sort out the following conundrum.
Back! To the future?
Since James Levine‘s back is flaring up again and he has canceled BSO performances through April 5, how about a group-mind experiment in predicting what the rest of the maestro’s Met season will be like?
Saturday afternoon at the chat
As a warmup for the impending Saturday afternoon Met broadcast chats, La Cieca thought the cher public would like to convene tomorrow in the PM to flex their chatting muscles. Which opera to be broadcast on the internet tomorrow should we hear and discuss?
By acclamation
The results of the Repertory Poll are in! Squirrel asked which three Old Operas you would most like to see staged at the New New Met, and the people have spoken! Results after the jump.
where will the elite meet?
Now that single tickets are available for purchase by Met season subcribers, and as the NYCO continues to dribble out details about casting, it’s time for La Cieca to start organizing her social diary for the opening of “The Season.” Where will Le Tout New-York be tooting this time around, cher public? Let La Cieca […]
alla cantata ancor manca la diva gossip?
According to Musical Criticism, Deborah Voigt has canceled her run of Tosca performances at the Royal Opera “due to ‘acute colitis’.” As it happens, your doyenne had a tip on that cancellation late last week and for whatever reason (Michael Jackson fatigue?) she didn’t share that gossip with you. So, cher public, here’s a chance […]
the metplayer election
Now, cher public, you have the chance to vote which of your nominated performances will be included in the upcoming MetPlayer weekend listening (and viewing party). You may cast your ballot right after the jump.
clash of the dowagers
La Cieca realizes that you, cher public, are getting as antsy and downright annoyed at the machinations chez NYCO (oh, that’s right, they don’t have a “chez,” do they?) Anyway, as bemoneyed matrons on the NYCO board ravage the Upper West Side whilst hurling millions at each other, La Cieca thought she should put it […]
he or she?
Okay, cher public, you’ve heard the theories. Now it’s time for you to predict who’s getting the nod as new NYCO honcho/honchess.
weird sisters
You voted, cher public, and La Cieca delivers on her campaign promises. Herewith the three most-requested mystery Ulricas. Use these sound clips wisely in formulating your entries in the Which Witch competition. Ulrica #3 Ulrica #8 Ulrica #11
dead heat
La Cieca is surprised to note that with only a day left in the spectacular Which Witch competition, there are only a few official entries, with a tie (10 correct each) between the top two contenders. It may be that your doyenne got a little cocky this time around and made the quiz impossibly difficult […]
sleeper hit
The cher public have spoken: La sonnambula is the must-see event this season at the Met, with 159 votes (a plurality of 43% of all votes cast). Runners-up are Salome and Thaïs. Complete poll results after the jump.Â
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).