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.
On this day the Metropolitan Opera has announced its 2016-2017 schedule.
Nico Muhly‘s Valley of the Dolls will receive its world premiere with an all-star cast!
The Manon Lescaut identification quiz, which La Cieca thought would be pretty much a cakewalk, turned out vastly more challenging than she imagined.
“…they hoped he would soon take on an emeritus position that would keep him involved in the company as part of a graceful exit.:
Welcome, cher public, to the real-time chat for the Saturday afternoon broadcast of Il Trovatore, starting at 1:00 PM ET.
“James Levine, the longtime Metropolitan Opera music director whose health struggles recently brought him to the verge of retirement from that position, has canceled a series of concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra next week.”
Welcome, cher public, to the real-time chat (or at least commentary) for tonight’s Met premiere of Manon Lescaut, starting at 7:55 PM ET on Listen Live.
I think we can all agree that this Anna Pirozzi is the real thing!
There was a bit of a foofaraw over on Facebook yesterday involving two of your doyenne’s favorite people, in alphabetical order Christine Goerke and Norman Lebrecht.
“Ana María Martínez will sing her first Met performances of Cio-Cio-San in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on February 19 and 22, replacing Hei-Kyung Hong, who is ill,” says the Met press office.
“Madame Anna Netrebko, souffrant d’une bronchite aiguë, ne sera pas en mesure d’assurer le rôle de Leonora pour la représentation du spectacle Il Trovatore ce jeudi 11 février.
Our Own Chris Corwin (not pictured) has taken a peek at the current guesses for the “Sola perduta” quiz and notes that fewer than half of the selections offered have been correctly identified.
“A few weeks after the opening night of Otello in New York, The Washington Post convened a group of African–American opera singers to discuss the issue.”
Hello, hello, cher public? You called, I can’t hear a thing.
La Cieca hopes the cher public won’t let poor Manon Lescaut get too lonely out there in the bayou or the heath or whatever it is, because you’ll want stay close to listen to our latest Identification Quiz, 15 sopranos in full hysterical wail.
“Mr. Luisi won praise replacing Mr. Levine time after time, particularly in a costly version of Wagner’s Ring cycle—though, perhaps in a sign of the situation’s delicacy, the two conductors have never met in person.”
La Cieca thinks she knows who the murderer is.
The one glitch was a much-publicised fiasco in the bear-pit of Milan’s La Scala, where in 1998 she was booed after her performance in Donzietti’s Lucrezia Borgia.”
“Chee’s novel charts Berne’s course from the mid-19th-century snowbound Minnesotan frontier, to the tents of a roving circus troupe…
It’s up to you, cher public, to try to decide for yourself what, if anything, this bizarre story in the New York Times means.
La Cieca is pleased and proud to present the Top 10 most popular posts on parterre.com for the month of January 2016.
La Cieca (pictured) considers herself privileged to recognize the advertisers whose generous support of parterre.com helps keep this blog bringing you the latest in opera news, reviews and gossip.
“Baritone Jarrett Ott (bottom) in Philadelphia, with current boyfriend Adam Franklin (top)…”
When it comes to throwing shade, Latrice Royale herself must surely yield her crown to the queen who made a contribution to the Rentboy.com Legal Defense Fund “In honor of David Gockley and San Francisco Opera’s production of Gordon Getty‘s Usher House.”
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
