There’s a rumor that’s been sort of meandering around for the past few weeks in vague will o’ the wisp format concerning the New York City Opera. (As if anything about that company right now is anything but vague, but still…) So here goes. One of the restructuring models that La Cieca keeps hearing about is some kind of diumvirate, i.e., a household name front person to be the public face of the company and a behind the scenes person to do the day to day scut work. Obviously this second mole-like creature is the one who’s going to do all the real work, but let’s not worry about that poor drudge. The top spot at NYCO seems to resolving itself into a Mary Garden-style “directa,” which, according to our source, would go to a diva whose career is still quite active but can be expected to wind down in the next five years or so. The singer in question thus will position herself as “Bubbles II,” though, should all this come to pass, we hope she will have an easier time of running the place than her Titian-tressed predecessor.
she is city opera?
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.
-
Topics: 192, Blind Item, diva, la cieca ci guarda, New York Times, NYCO
Comments
You’ll be fine.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
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.
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.
Sign up for our free Newsletter.
Support Parterre Box
Donate to keep opera's liveliest publication free and independent. No paywalls, no institutional backing, no bootlicking.

