ARIA SERIOUS?

Over the weekend. - Our production of Rigoletto opened on Saturday, the first of five performances, and reviews are already starting to appear. You can read them as they arrive on the San Diego Opera Review Page, which you can find by clicking here . - Also on Saturday, Long Beach Opera gave the US premiere of Vivaldi's Motezuma (sic). You can read about it here and read David Gregson's review of it here . - We love them, we really do, but opera has its share of "opera crazies". The Los Angeles Times delves deeper into the seedy underbelly of opera fandom with this profile of Wagner fans called " Wagnerites ." We like to call them " Ringies ." Featured is San Diego Opera friend and all around nice guy, Sherwin Sloan, who helms the Wagner Society of Southern California. - Orlando Opera is facing a serious budget shortfall , adding to the ever growing list of arts organizations in trouble. -- Edward

Friday, so time again to ask: what are you listening to this weekend? Over here at the Aria Serious tower, we'll put listening to opera on hold in lieu of seeing opera. That's right, Rigoletto open Saturday. Sunday, we're going to spend in the hammock reading up on some much neglected books. What are your listening plans this weekend? Are you going to see Rigoletto ? Whatever your musical plans are, share them here, and make it a good one. - Edward

ConcertoNet.com , a French website has just put up an interview with Lado Ataneli (in English) to mark the opening of Rigoletto here in San Diego tomorrow night. You can read the interview here . And you can purchase your Rigoletto seats here . Enjoy! - Edward

Last Thursday, the cast of Rigoletto got together for a very enjoyable panel discussion about the opera. In case you missed it, we've placed the entire thing on YouTube that you can watch below. Enjoy! -- Edward

The New York Times is reporting today that a production of Cosi fan tutte will ask audience members to vote at intermission for which characters should be married in the final scene. The singers will then perform the chosen ending. Called Cosi fan tutte : Defining Women , the opera will be set in present-day Massachusetts "where nuptials between any combination of three men and three women would be legal.” -- Edward

Rigoletto is almost here . After watching the orchestra rehearsal last night I was reminded how much I liked this opera, which is a whole lot. And I think the first scene is one of the best first scenes of Rigoletto I've ever seen. But why talk when there are pictures to share. Photos are by Ken Howard.

The New York Times is reporting that the great bass Ezio Flagello , who sang over 500 performances at the Met, has died. He was 78. You can read the entire article here . -- Edward