By La Cieca 
On this day in 2016, James Levine announced his retirement as Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera to become music director emeritus.
On this day in 1883 Leo Delibes’ Lakmé premiered in Paris.
On this day in 1960 the Charles Strouse-Lee Adams musical Bye Bye Birdie opened at the Martin Beck Theatre, to run 607 performances. 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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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.
