Desk set Desk set

“Two Boys demonstrates that Mr. Muhly is capable of very great things indeed, offering extended glimpses of the kind of masterpiece he just missed writing here, and, more happily, of the kind of masterpiece I feel confident he will write in the future.”

on October 29, 2013 at 6:06 PM
A hymn to heme A hymn to heme

That 60 Minutes piece everyone’s been talking about, with Peter Gelb describing opera as “blood sport,” after the jump.

on October 28, 2013 at 3:47 PM
You don’t have to be Druids to love it You don’t have to be Druids to love it

“The Met’s production, originally directed by John Copley, is still a hideous, confusing mess. But with Ms. Meade and Ms. Barton acting with moving subtlety, singing generously and feeling deeply, it was hard to care.”

on October 25, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Golden “Boys” Golden “Boys”

Who knows what to expect from an opera about the Internet?

on October 23, 2013 at 5:10 AM
No “Boys” allowed No “Boys” allowed

A shocking message one teenager sends to another leads to scandal and death in an opera featured in this season’s “Live in HD” series from the Met.

on October 19, 2013 at 3:48 PM
Sediziose voci Sediziose voci

La Cieca (not pictured) returns to the chat room tonight, cher public, on the occasion of the broadcast of Norma from the Met starting at 7:25 PM.

on October 14, 2013 at 2:44 PM
O nube! che lieve per l’aria ti aggiri O nube! che lieve per l’aria ti aggiri

Prominent local “billionaire scam artist” Alberto Vilar has asked for an extension on his court-imposed curfew so he may attend the Met’s Eugene Onegin and “socialize” afterward with the performers.

on October 11, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Week link Week link

Our Own JJ surveys the first week of the Met’s season (Eugene Onegin, Cosi fan tutte, The Nose, Norma) for the New York Observer.

on October 01, 2013 at 7:09 PM
‘Twas ever “Thus” ‘Twas ever “Thus”

While James Levine’s name might not immediately spring to mind when pondering the great Mozart conductors, he does have a long and distinguished career leading operas by the Austrian master.

on September 25, 2013 at 11:51 AM
Tonight or Neva Tonight or Neva

Last night, the Met opened the 2013-14 season with a handsome, fairly conservative new production of Eugene Onegin by Deborah Warner that replaces the handsome, fairly conservative one by Robert Carsen. (The trend is clear.)

on September 24, 2013 at 1:57 PM
A disturbance in the force A disturbance in the force

The scene outside the Met last night (above) and inside (after the jump).

on September 24, 2013 at 1:57 AM
There’s no business like snow business There’s no business like snow business

Tonight at long last brings us to our first Met livechat of the season, cher public.

on September 23, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Who’s that woman? Who’s that woman?

You have voted, cher public, a total of 2,265 times, and you’ve decided!

on September 23, 2013 at 1:17 AM
Von Kopf bis Fuss Von Kopf bis Fuss

La Cieca is happy to present the following readymade blind item.

on September 21, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Pushkin comes to shove Pushkin comes to shove

Onegin, which opens the Met’s season on Monday, has taken an unusually precipitous tumble…

on September 19, 2013 at 10:32 AM
Ina moment now Ina moment now

La Cieca hears that soprano Pretty Yende, a standout Met debutante last season in Le Comte Ory, has signed with the company for for four roles over the next three years: Pamina and Lucia in 2014-2015, Adina in 2015-2016 and Rosina in 2016-2017.

on September 16, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Fall forward Fall forward

Utterly scientific polls follow the jump.

on September 07, 2013 at 7:53 AM
We’ll settle that tonight! We’ll settle that tonight!

La Cieca has been wining, dining and otherwise wooing her Met connection (pictured above) and he (or is it she?) has come across with some tidbits about upcoming seasons at Casa Gelb.

on August 14, 2013 at 3:59 PM
Met: We love the gays; won’t protest Putin Met: We love the gays; won’t protest Putin

“The Met is proud of its history as a creative base for LGBT singers, conductors, directors, designers, and choreographers.”

on August 08, 2013 at 3:55 PM
A multiplicity of mezzos A multiplicity of mezzos

Wonder no more! Says the Met press office, “Elina Garanca has withdrawn from her 2013-14 Met engagements because she is pregnant with her second child, who is due this winter.”

on August 08, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Waiting in the wings Waiting in the wings

The Met’s season-opening production of Eugene Onegin will be directed by Fiona Shaw,

on August 06, 2013 at 2:29 PM
Camino unreal? Camino unreal?

Peter Gelb says Calixto Bieito will direct at the Met.

on August 06, 2013 at 8:43 AM
After the fall After the fall

Wendy White is suing the for a 2011 accident on stage during a performance of Faust.

on August 03, 2013 at 1:23 AM
Desk set Desk set

Stefan Herheim‘s production of Die Meistersinger is set on the surface of Hans Sachs’ writing table!

on July 31, 2013 at 11:04 AM