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A conductor leads a performance of Ariadne auf Naxos in St. Petersburg Tuesday night, then boards a private jet headed west to New York at a speed of 600 miles per hour. In New York he is scheduled to conduct a performance of Boris Godunov on Wednesday night at the Metropolitan, then travel east the 4,700 mile distance to St. Petersburg where he will conduct Ariadne again on Thursday.

Question: Who is going to conduct Boris at the Met tonight? Please show your work.

Answer: “Pavel Smelkov will conduct this evening’s performance of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, replacing Valery Gergiev who is suffering from exhaustion and resting in St. Petersburg. Gergiev still plans to conduct this Saturday’s matinee performance.”

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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