“The battle of the sexes ended in an upset the other night in Le Nozze di Figaro. No, nobody rewrote the libretto of Mozart’s 1786 opera, about a countess and her maid joining forces to teach a randy count a lesson. But the casting of the Met’s revival was so lopsided that the golden-voiced men easily won sympathy over a gaggle of screechy sopranos.” [New York Post]
Down for the count
The battle of the sexes ended in an upset the other night in Le Nozze di Figaro.
By La Cieca 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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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.