“Guiding her with his hand on her back, he instinctively understood whom she wanted to talk to and whom they should avoid. And she had forgotten how well he could move until he twirled her across the floor. The after-party, at which the women reclined on sofas while dangling their pumps from their toes and the men loosened their ties and drank Scotch, reminded them of a champagne ad. But mostly they were intoxicated with each other.” [New York Times]
It was a euphoria beyond anything she’d ever felt on the stage!
“But mostly they were intoxicated with each other.”
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.