“Mary Garden wondered last night what would have happened to her if, instead of coming to America with her parents, she had gone to a little town in Scotland, married and settled down. She laughed when she said it, and the diners at the Lotos Club, who could not conceive of her as settled down, laughed too.” [New York Times]
Agrees with critics that she is creator, not a singer
Mary Garden wondered last night what would have happened to her if, instead of coming to America with her parents, she had gone to a little town in Scotland, married and settled down.
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.