Not perhaps as enthusiastic a response as La Cieca might have liked to the recent Posa quiz, and no official winner. But we do have a runner-up, to be revealed after the jump.

Best of the lot was Baritony, with 10 or 11 correct answers: no prize this time, but well-listened, Baritony!

The 16 Posas, as heard on the quiz were:

1. Ettore Bastianini – Salzburg 1960
2. Matteo Manuguerra – French Radio 1967
3. Tito Gobbi – Covent Garden 1958
4. Piero Cappuccilli – La Scala 1970
5. Yuri Mazurok – Covent Garden 1979
6. Bernd Weikl – MET 1989
7. Paolo Coni – Turin 1990
8. Mariusz Kwiecien – Covent Garden 2013
9. Robert Merrill – MET 1950
10. Gabriel Bacquier – Buenos Aires 1967
11. Louis Quilico – Philadelphia 1966
12. Dmitri Hvorostovsky – London 1997
13. Thomas Allen – Paris 1987
14. Renato Bruson – Covent Garden 1979
15. Kostas Paskalis – Vienna 1967
16. Simon Keenlyside – Cleveland 2003

Since this quiz was apparently not your cup of tea, cher public, La Cieca will throw the floor open to suggestions for future competitions. Anyone?

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.

Comments