By La Cieca La Cieca can’t put anything over on you any more, cher public. Would you believe that within half an hour after she posted the most recent Regie quiz, Baritenor correctly divined that it was a production of Wagner’s Rienzi, as staged by none other than Wagner’s great-granddaughter Katharina.
Maybe this week’s quiz will be a bit more challenging? Or (more likely) you’ll outsmart your doyenne once more!
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.
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
