By La Cieca 
When one has reached the pinnacle, a Heldentenor at the top of one’s profession, what indeed is left but to become Angela Gheorghiu? Says the Met press office, at 5:40 on a Friday afternoon, “Frank van Aken will make his Met debut as Siegmund in Die Walküre at tomorrow’s matinee performance, replacing Jonas Kaufmann who is [“]ill[“].”
A glimpse of Mr. van Aken (with his Mrs.) from Frankfurt’s 2012-2011 Walküre.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TrYAHm4E7Y
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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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.
