Opera from a certain point of view. The best opera magazine on the web. Reviews, breaking news, critical essays, and brainrot commentary on opera from those demented enough to love it.
La Cieca would be fascinated to find out how you did it, Hoffmann. However did you guess that last week’s Regie quiz in fact portrayed Rusalka — as envisioned by that new parterre darling Stefan Herheim for Oper Graz!
Here’s the trailer for the Graz production, demonstrating the trademark Herheim whatever-you-call-the-opposite-of-minimalism:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nSermCIsfA
The next photos serve two purposes: they represent the only three visual images Herheim didn’t wedge into the Dvorak fairy tale, plus (more to the point) they depict our new Regie quiz. What’s the opera, cher public? (Guesses only, please!)
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.
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.