cieca_wave_2With Betsy Ann pulling a Gheorghiu, the lovely and talented M. Croche leaps once more into the b(r)each, saying, “Once again it’s time for the Saturday Opera-Bash. Hai-ku’ed up this week are…”

1:00 CBC 2. AIDA (Canadian Opera Company)
Egyptian Princess,
Ethiopian Princess
Together Again.

1:00 Deutschland Radio Kultur. Reznicek’s BENZIN (Chemnitz)
Zeppelin crashes
on a deserted island.
Wait: Emil von who?

1:00 DR P2. ALCINA (Vienna)
With Kasarova,
Cangemi and Harteros.
Wand ready, Harry.

1:00 Espace Musique. FIDELIO (Lucerne)
Tenors behind bars
recall the snows of last year.
Suddenly – trumpet!

1:00 HR2 Kultur. THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (New York)
London, Rysanek,
Rysanek and Rysanek;
and, oh, Rysanek.

1:00 KBYU. LA RONDINE (San Francisco)
Listening I halt.
Adriana Lecouvreur
will be on Beeb 3.

1:00 KOHM/WPLN. EUGENE ONEGIN (Vienna)
A note to a friend
fallen like an autumn leaf.
Polonaise, bitches!

1:00 KUSF/WCLV/KRTI. XERXES (Houston)
Persian king Xerxes
tired from many da-capos
rests under a tree.

1:00 Radio Musica Clasica Espana. LA DAMNATION DE FAUST (Chicago)
Now I’ve seen it all:
the seasons’ cycles bore me.
Wanna bet on that?

1:00 RPT Antena 2. MANON (Vienna)
Ah! Regarde-moi!
Jusq’au cinquième acte
je veux te suivre!

1:00 WFMT. BILLY BUDD (Houston)
Anchors away, lads!
Britten with a ship of men?
The jokes write themselves.

1:30 – BBC Radio 3. ADRIANA LECOUVREUR (ROH)
Some poisoned violets!
Who could tell how they got there?
The sage says: Beats me.

1:30 – Dwojke Polskie Radio. Smetana’s THE KISS (Wexford)
Fuj! You can keep your
Libuše and Dalibor.
Who could hate a Kiss?

2:00 – Cesky Rozhlas 3 – Vltava. TANNHÄUSER (Vienna)
Venus has nice hills
but Elizabeth’s dear halls
are more inviting.

2:00 – Radio Stephansdom. PARISINA D’ESTE
As quick as lightning
Donizetti’s works appeared.
Look out, there’s one more!

2:00 – RAI3. LUISA MILLER (Torino)
Rodolfo’s in love
not with Mimi but Luisa.
Yet the Wurm will turn.

3:00 – Radio Lyric FM. THE PEARL FISHERS (ROH)
On Ceylon’s shores
there is no way to dispel
an angry Zurga.

La Cieca’s chat-shitsu is in the usual place.

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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