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.
Network Broadcast Premiere of French-language version
A Baroque Valentine’s with Opera Lafayette | Feb | DC & NYC
Celebrate love in all its guises with tender ballads, amorous duets, cheeky verses, and bawdy drinking songs plus food, cocktails and wine.
Ailyn Pérez makes her role debut as Tatiana opposite Igor Golovatenko in the title role of the urbane nobleman who rejects her, much to his later dismay.
“Eleonora Buratto will make her role debut as Elisabeth de Valois in Verdi’s Don Carlo in the 2022–23 season, replacing Anna Netrebko for the first five performances of the run.”
RAI TV5 will televise Ai Weiwei’s production from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
The Bard Conservatory Orchestra joins an exciting principal cast of singers in a semi-staged performance of Richard Strauss’s once infamous, now famous opera, directed by R. B. Schlather.
From the Metropolitan Opera, Matthew Polenzani, Sonya Yoncheva, Jamie Barton, Etienne Dupuis, Eric Owens and John Relyea.
Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Ségui will lead the Met Orchestra and Chorus and star soloists.
Krassimira Stoyanova, Oksana Volkova, Francesco Meli, Georg Zeppenfeld and Quinn Kelsey; conducted by Christian Thielemann.
For this live broadcast, Marek Janowski conducts Lise Davidsen, Brandon Jovanovich, Brenda Rae, Sean Michael Plumb and Isabel Leonard.
The Metropolitan Opera announced today “A Concert for Ukraine” on Monday, March 14, at 6:00pm ET, with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin leading the Met Orchestra and Chorus.
The Bayerische Staatsoper streams its new production of Britten’s tragedy. Conductor: Edward Gardner. Production: Stefan Herheim.
From January 6, 1973: Richard Bonynge; Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Regina Resnik, Fernando Corena
“Plus, he never laid a glove on those kids.” — Jonas Kaufmann, probably.
“It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” said Met General Manager Peter Gelb.
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In a busy flurry of Instagram posts earlier today, Anna Netrebko announced a temporary withdrawal from her performing career.
The Met’s new season, including Medea with Sondra Radvanovsky, set parterrian tongues wagging during the month of February 2022.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads Matthew Polenzani in the title role, Sonya Yoncheva as Élisabeth de Valois, Jamie Barton as Eboli, Etienne Dupuis as Rodrigue, Eric Owens as Philippe II and John Relyea as the Grand Inquisitor.
Highlights showcase the Met’s most revered African American stars.
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2022-2023 season will offer seven new productions including the world-premiere staging of The Hours and the company premieres of Champion and Medea.
The celebrated Italian soprano died yesterday. She was 92.
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.
