By La Cieca 
Soprano Maralin Niska, a mainstay of New York City Opera and America’s regional opera companies from the 1960s through the 1980s, died at her home in Santa Fe yesterday. She was 89.
As a tribute to La Niska, here is Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin’s presentation of Marc Blitzstein’s Regina, featuring the soprano in blazing 1980 form.
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.
