“I found Miss Garden… with her head resting on her hand, in a pose of interesting melancholy. In the mysterious atmosphere of the room, adorned with strange bibelots and with the setting sun forming a mystic halo around her head, she appeared almost like the ghost of Mélisande, while the languorous Anglo-Saxon accent of her voice rendered her sad speech the more interesting.” [New York Times]
“Mary Garden Sad” (actual headline)
She appeared almost like the ghost of Mélisande…
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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Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
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.
