E avanti a lui fischiava tutta Roma
By
La Cieca
“A Zeffirelli, dopo le polemiche della vigilia che lo hanno opposto al soprano Daniela Dessì, da lui ritenuta non giusta per il ruolo di Violetta in questa Traviata, qualche dissenso misto agli applausi al momento di comparire in proscenio assieme a Gelmetti.” [Il Messaggero]
On the other hand, maybe the dissenters were disgruntled canary fanciers?
On 18 December 2009, the opening night of the production, there was no ‘high E flat’. In the Rome theatre, Zeffirelli’s foes were immediately ready to point out that to please the director, second-choice singers had been hired.
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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Topics: booing, festoonery, great homosexuals of history, Regie, scandale, the zef
