I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind

La Cieca hears that the dress rehearsal of Nabucco at the Met earlier today came to a halt when the statue of Baal burst into flames.

on December 09, 2016 at 4:16 PM
Mourning glory Mourning glory

I can think of no other role that provides the most unique promise of humiliation, and consequently the most opportunity for glory.

on December 06, 2016 at 4:59 PM
Chanson d’amour Chanson d’amour

Much like Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, which launched the Met’s 2016-2017 season, Kaija Saariaho’s L’Amour de Loin is an opera about love and death.

on December 02, 2016 at 1:44 PM
Once, Moore, with feeling Once, Moore, with feeling

When Sonja Frisell‘s Met production of Aïda was new and starred Oklahoma native Leona Mitchell, the similarly-intialled Latonia Moore was nine years old, singing in the choir of her pastor grandfather’s church. 

on November 22, 2016 at 5:15 PM
Gone girl Gone girl

Anna Netrebko‘s Manon was deeply unforgettable for its wide scope, control, and incredible virtuosity.

on November 15, 2016 at 5:05 PM
Battlemania Battlemania

Miss Battle was greeted with a thunderous ovation befitting a beloved singer at the end of an illustrious career.

on November 14, 2016 at 10:30 AM
Alla pompa che si appresta meco, o schiava, assisterai Alla pompa che si appresta meco, o schiava, assisterai

The celebrated ‘Triumph’ scene… borders on homoerotic porn.

on November 09, 2016 at 3:23 PM
Parterrian makes international news Parterrian makes international news

Dallas native Roger Kaiser, identified as the guy who sprinkled a mentor’s ashes in the pit of the Met yesterday (and all that came after) is a parterre commenter.

on October 30, 2016 at 1:38 PM
Powder keg Powder keg

A source close to the Met says tonight’s L’italiana in Algeri  has been canceled in the wake of an incident this afternoon when somebody dumped an unknown white powder into the pit following act 3″ of Guillaume Tell

on October 29, 2016 at 5:11 PM
Rock, star Rock, star

The centerpiece of Janácek’s Jenufa was the performance of Karita Mattila as the murderous Kostelnicka.

on October 29, 2016 at 12:45 PM
Mark, missed Mark, missed

Thoughtless direction stifled the epic drama.

on October 19, 2016 at 5:17 PM
Incomplete artwork Incomplete artwork

“He towered over the listless supporting cast like Daniel Day-Lewis guest-starring in a marionette show.”

on October 06, 2016 at 9:21 AM
Period piece Period piece

Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s production of L’Italiana in Algeri for the Met remains steadfastly ignorant of postcolonial theory.

on October 05, 2016 at 5:41 PM
No view from the bridge No view from the bridge

Mariusz Trelinski unveiled a rather gloomy, though musically satisfying, Tristan und Isolde.

on September 27, 2016 at 10:50 AM
September song September song

Paul Appleby will sing the role of Don Ottavio in this season’s September and October performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, replacing Rolando Villazón, who has withdrawn due to illness.”

on September 15, 2016 at 10:36 AM
Fixture Fixture

“When you’re really quiet, you can hear the tinkling when they stop.”

on August 21, 2016 at 12:35 PM
You’ve got to taste all the fruit You’ve got to taste all the fruit

The current iteration of that altogether necessary resource the Met Future Wiki currently lists a repertoire of 32(!) programs intended for the Met’s 2017-2018 season, which clearly is absurd.

on August 08, 2016 at 3:35 PM
Here he comes to save the day Here he comes to save the day

La Cieca called it, mostly: Yannick Nézet-Séguin will the the Met’s new music director, taking on full official duties in the 2020-2021 season.

on June 02, 2016 at 8:39 AM
Trauermarsch Trauermarsch

I can scarcely remember a performance where so many conflicting thoughts raced through my mind as happened Thursday night during the Met Orchestra’s “bleeding chunks” of Wagner’s Ring at Carnegie Hall.

on May 27, 2016 at 2:33 PM
Der Snuggiekavalier Der Snuggiekavalier

The Met’s cobranding efforts are really beginning to pay off.

on May 20, 2016 at 3:45 PM
The present future The present future

Well, when the New York Times goes into a tizzy, you know times are hard, cher public, but your doyenne is ready to ride to the rescue, hakeo don’t panic. 

on May 06, 2016 at 10:00 AM
One million dollars! One million dollars!

“The Met: Live in HD concluded its tenth anniversary season Saturday with a live transmission of Patrice Chéreau’s acclaimed production of Elektra, with an estimated attendance of 48,000 in North America earning a gross of $1,037,000.”

on May 01, 2016 at 12:33 PM
Cold Turkey Cold Turkey

The no-star, slapstick revival of John Dexter’s 37-year-old production of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail that opened Friday night proved James Levine’s tenure as Music Director of the Met will end in two weeks with neither a whimper nor a bang.

on April 25, 2016 at 10:00 AM
Bleak house Bleak house

The haunted Mycenae of Patrice Chéreau’s enthralling production of Richard Strauss’s Elektra had seized its viewers in an unrelenting vise that never relaxed even at its quietly shattering conclusion.

on April 15, 2016 at 11:41 AM