By La Cieca 
From an early Mike Richter CD-ROM, “Odd Opera” comes this gem, a live performance of Handel’s Semele at Carnegie Hall on February 23, 1985, the 300th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
Conductor: John Nelson
Semele: Kathleen Battle
Juno/Ino: Marilyn Horne
Jupiter: Rockwell Blake
Iris: Sylvia McNair
Cadmus/Somnus: Samuel Ramey
Athamas: Jeffrey Gall
Apollo: Walter MacNeil
Chief Priest of Juno: James Patterson
Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Gala Handel Opera Chorus
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.
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.
