Sapphic European Opera Soprano Gets Lobotomy In "Ratched"

Harriet Sansom Harris plays the chain-smoking diva.

Ryan Murphy's latest exploration for Netflix is Ratched. Described as "an American psychological thriller drama web television series about the character of the same name from Ken Kesey's 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Created by Evan Romansky and developed by Ryan Murphy, the series stars Sarah Paulson in the title role and serves as a prequel to the novel. It premiered on Netflix on September 18, 2020." Netflix adds: "Ratched is a suspenseful drama series that tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched. In 1947, Mildred arrives in Northern California to seek employment at a leading psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind. On a clandestine mission, Mildred presents herself as the perfect image of what a dedicated nurse should be, but the wheels are always turning and as she begins

Barbaric Practice: If opera didn't do Ingrid in, this surgery might!

to infiltrate the mental health care system and those within it, Mildred's stylish exterior belies a growing darkness that has long been smoldering within, revealing that true monsters are made, not born." One character, a faded opera singer named Ingrid, appears in two episodes. She is equal parts Zinka Milanov and Eva Marton. When describing her repertoire, she says "I sang all the major dramatic roles from Brünnhilde to Turandot." Finding herself lost now that her career is over, she has arrived at the asylum for  new revolutionary procedure, which turns out to be a lobotomy. Things get a bit more complicated when it's revealed she is also a lesbian, something the hospital is trying to "cure" as well. In the second appearance of Ingrid, the scene opens with Puccini's aria "Tu che di gel sei cinta" from Turandot. Although Ingrid herself would have sung the title role of the opera, this from the character of Liù resonates with several themes within the show. The rest of the Ratched cast includes Sharon Stone, Sarah Paulsen, Judy Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Finn Wittrock, Jon Jon Briones, and Charlie Carver. See more stills of Ingrid from Ratched, and see videos of the above aria as well as others that Ingrid would have performed, after the jump. [Source, Source]

Naughty Nurse: Sarah Paulsen plays Mildred Ratched.

Angela Gheorghiu Discusses Falling In Love And Being A Diva

Angela Gheorghiu photographed by Gabi Hirit 
with styling by Domnica Margescu and
 Maurice Munteanu.

In the June issue of Elle magazine (Romania), soprano Angela Gheorghiu talks intimately about falling in love with one of her fans, Mihai Ciortea, at the lowest point of her career. They have been together for two years now and are happier than ever. She also goes into detail about how she feels about the word "Diva" and whether it is a compliment, accolade, or even an insult when describing bad behavior. For the fashion shoot she wears a Dolce & Gabbana, possibly not hearing about their most recent scandal. The magazine will have more of the interview with photos, out on newsstands now. [Source] Watch a video of the soprano singing the duets "Gia nella notte densa" from Verdi's Otello and "Va, je t'ai pardonné" from Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, with tenor Teodor Ilincăi, after the jump.

Is "Las Hijas De Danao" A Remake Of The Classic Film "Diva"?

The thriller film Las Hijas de Danao is set in Paris during the 2005 urban riots. The opera is rehearsing to perform Salieri's Les Danaïdes, when a well-known soprano receives an anonymous threat. Coinciding with serious disturbances in the French capital, detectives do their best to infiltrate the opera company to solve the mystery. The director, Fran Kapilla, says the idea came out of the juxtaposition of the two worlds of protestors and the sophisticated opera society. If the plot sounds vaguely familiar, check out the description for Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 film Diva by clicking here. For more information about the film, visit the official website: http://www.lashijasdedanao.com/. See more cast photos, and find out the connection Montserrat Caballé has to this film, after the jump! [Source]

Coen Brothers Bringing Opera Singer To Celluloid Soon?

"Unless you were at a film festival recently, you’re probably still waiting for the new Coen Brothers movie, Inside Llewyn Davis. The tale of a ’60s New York folk singer got stellar reviews out of Cannes and Telluride. It hits US theaters on December 20. Of course, with the pending release of one Coen Brothers movie, fans can start to look towards their next work. At the Telluride Film Festival, Joel and Ethan gave a small hint at what they’re currently writing. It’s a film with an opera singer as the main character." [Source] As far as movies about opera singers, the one that still stands the test of time is after the jump.