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.
The legendary Canadian heldentenor died on Friday. He was 88.
John Berry, artistic director of the English National Opera, has announced he intends to step down from his role after 20 years with the Company.
Anna Netrebko‘s current concert tour is scheduled at some point to include her first public performance of “In questa reggia” from Turandot, but it hasn’t happened so far.
On this day in 1937 Spam, the luncheon meat, was introduced into the market by the Hormel Foods Corporation.
“In a sudden, stunning, and largely unexplained change in procedure, Lyric Opera of Chicago has opted not to release any details of its financial performance for FY2015 that ended yesterday.”
It’s the first of July, and naturally La Cieca won’t let the day go by without a salute to those wonderful advertisers who keep parterre.com online and thriving.
“Why did they concur? I was shocked to see children in the audience.”
In an unprecedented move, the Bayreuth Festival has named conductor Christian Thielemann official “Music Director.”
A first hint of what Anna Netrebko‘s latest Verdi role will sound like.
“La couleur dramatique l’emporte irrésistiblement.”
Well done all of you for guessing almost all the correct identities of the mysterious Ortruden.
Your task: name the Ortruds, all unlucky 13 of them.
The “manager of legendary maestros” including James Levine, died today in Manhattan. He was 87. [New York Times]
For instance, the mule is more intelligent and more patient than its parents the horse and the donkey.
Our dear friends over at Opera Depot are slashing prices in half on all their recordings of Tristan und Isolde in honor of the music drama’s 150th anniversary.
Though La Cieca’s occasional brushes with democracy have not left her with much faith in that form of decision-making, she is going to make the leap anyway and turn some small measure of control over to you, the cher public.
The host of the Metropolitan Opera’s Saturday Afternoon Radio Broadcasts and longtime public radio personality died today of complications from ovarian cancer. She was 58.
The New York City Opera saga apparently wasn’t quite dramatic enough, so now there’s a new plot twist thrown into the mix.
La Cieca (not pictured) surrenders, cher public: she can no longer bear the burden of opposing ignorant, hysterical pearl-clutching on the internet. The clutchers have won.
Mezzo Rinat Shaham takes a short break from being the world’s busiest Carmen and rehearsing for the theatrical concert “The Sorrows of Young Werther” to dish with your doyenne.
The visionary Rupert Christiansen peers into the mists of the not-yet and apprehends the perfection of the Wagnerian Gesamtkunstwerk.
Setting, or surely approaching, some sort of record for sheer breadth of career (70 years!), Lucine Amara returns to the New York stage this summer as the Duchess of Krakenthorp in La Fille du Régiment.
If La Cieca’s life were a romantic comedy, then your doyenne would surely be 1990s era Sandra Bullock, you know, the heroine, right?
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
