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.
“Mr. Levine was conducting his beloved Wagner for what was almost certainly the last time.”
Endings (in particular that of James Levine) and beginnings (Anna Netrebko‘s, as a Wagnerian), dominated the list of most popular posts on parterre in the month of May.
La Cieca called it, mostly: Yannick Nézet-Séguin will the the Met’s new music director, taking on full official duties in the 2020-2021 season.
La Cieca (pictured, left) applauds our parterre advertisers for the month of June.
t appears from the image released above that La Cieca’s fanciful album cover for Anna Netrebko‘s forthcoming “Verismo” disc was not so far off the mark.
During the dull season for opera broadcasts here in New York the cher public are invited to select from the afternoon offerings listed on operacast.com.
La Cieca’s spies in Dresden report that there were HD cameras aplenty in the Semperoper at Wednesday night’s performance of Lohengrin.
The Péter Eötvös adaptation of Angels in America—as well as Candide and such rarities as La campana sommersa and Los Elementos—are highlights of the New York City Opera’s 2016-2017 season.
Gay icons Francesca Zambello and Judy Garland.
La Cieca has the whole thing for you to listen to, cher public, as recorded Sunday afternoon.
“King of the High D’s” Javier Camarena headlines an HD video performance of I puritani this afternoon live from the Compañia Nacional de Ópera in Mexico.
The Met’s cobranding efforts are really beginning to pay off.
Veteran maroon Norman Lebrecht does it again.
Cher public, you knew La Cieca would come through for you, didn’t you? So hurry past the jump and give a listen.
An early bird special chat: the premiere of Die Meistersinger from the Bayerische Staatsoper, featuring DJ Jummy Jonas.
Can it really be 40 (Four, oh!) years since La Cieca was born?
Well, when the New York Times goes into a tizzy, you know times are hard, cher public, but your doyenne is ready to ride to the rescue, hakeo don’t panic.
“Hopper’s Wife turned out to be the most unpleasant piece as I’ve heard since NYCO’s notorious fiasco The Dreyfus Affair, two decades ago.”
“Due to Anna Netrebko’s recent decision not to add the title role in Bellini’s Norma to her repertory…”
Which opera director’s new position seems to have gone to his head? At a recent round of auditions, he reportedly encouraged the singers to disrobe.
Welcome, cher public, to the real-time chat for this evening’s Met broadcast of Otello, starting at 7:30 PM.
La Cieca celebrates parterre box’s advertisers for the month of May 2016: Carnegie Hall, the George London Foundation and Opera Orchestra of New York.
Christine Goerke will sing the role of Brünnhilde in the Monday, May 2 performance of The Valkyrie at WNO.
On this day in 1968 the revue New Faces of 1968 opened at the Booth Theatre to run 52 performances.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
