vick_trovatoreAs we approach the end of the first all-Peter Gelb season at the Met, there’s already a certain amount of editorial judgment on the General Manager’s “aesthetic agenda.” That’s only fair, of course: judgement is what critics do.   What does disturb La Cieca just a bit is what she sees as a short-sighted tendency to act as if unsuccessful productions at the Met suddenly began with Gelb’s arrival. For your discussion, then, La Cieca would like for you to consider the following list of new productions mounted a the Met under the aegis of the previous General Manager. Those of you who are new to Met-gazing or who may have forgotten some of these efforts are invited to refresh your memories with the Met archives.

1990-1991
Un Ballo in Maschera
Salome
Semiramide
Andrea Chénier
Die Zauberflöte
Kát’a Kabanová
Parsifal

1991-1992
La Fanciulla del West
L’Elisir d’Amore
The Ghosts of Versailles
Der Fliegende Holländer
Elektra

1992-1993
The Voyage
Lucia di Lammermoor
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Ariadne auf Naxos

1993-1994
Stiffelio
Rusalka
I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata
Death in Venice
Otello

1995-1995
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Madama Butterfly
Simon Boccanegra
Pelléas et Mélisande

1995-1996
The Queen of Spades
The Makropulos Case
Così Fan Tutte
La Forza del Destino
Andrea Chénier

1996-1997
Fedora
Carmen
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Wozzeck

1997-1998
Eugene Onegin
La Cenerentola
The Rake’s Progress
Capriccio
Samson et Dalila
Lohengrin

1998-1999
Le Nozze di Figaro
La Traviata
Lucia di Lammermoor
Moses und Aron
Susannah

1999-2000
Mefistofele
Tristan und Isolde
The Great Gatsby
The Merry Widow

2000-2001
Fidelio
Il Trovatore
Doktor Faust
Nabucco
The Gambler

2001-2002
Norma
Luisa Miller
Die Frau ohne Schatten
War and Peace
Sly

2002-2003
Il Pirata
A View from the Bridge
Jenufa
Les Troyens

2003-2004
La Juive
Benvenuto Cellini
Don Giovanni
Salome

2004-2005
Die Zauberflöte
Rodelinda
Faust
Cyrano de Bergerac

2005-2006
Roméo et Juliette
An American Tragedy
Mazeppa
Don Pasquale

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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