UPDATED January 12: The legendary Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson died on December 25, it was announced yesterday. She was 87. La Cieca will present a special episode of “Unnatural Acts of Opera” tonight in salute to Mme. Nilsson.

Birgit Nilsson as Isolde, Metropolitan Opera, 1971

Once Birgit Nilsson was negotiating a contract with Herbert von Karajan, at the time director of the Vienna Opera, when a string of pearls she was wearing broke and scattered all over the floor. Von Karajan and several others who were present got down on their knees to search for the pearls.

“Gentlemen, we must find every one of them,” von Karajan said. “Miss Nilsson bought these precious natural pearls with her fees from the Metropolitan.”

“Don’t bother, gentlemen,” Miss Nilsson replied, “Those are just dime-store imitation pearls I bought with my fees from the Vienna Opera.” — Characteristic (if probably apocryphal) anecdote

La Cieca

James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.

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