Dr. Jonathan Miller‘s “keenly awaited” new production of La boheme for the English National Opera has been postponed for two nights due to a blizzard in London. “Having made enemies of virtually every individual in the human race, I have concluded that, at 75, I should move on with my life,” Dr. Miller whinged.  “My new project is to take offense at such inanimate things such as meteorological phenomena.

“I suppose it is to be expected that such first nights as Elektra as the Bavarian State Opera and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Vienna Volksoper should go off without a hitch whilst my unsentimental reading of the Puccini tearjerker is taken off. Surely Joe Volpe and Angela Gheorghiu must have something to do with this freakish weather.”

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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