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 classic American opera features many artists from the triumphant 2019–20 production’s Grammy Award-winning cast. Eric Owens and Angel Blue star as the title couple, with conductor David Robertson on the podium.
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.
The classic American opera features many artists from the triumphant 2019–20 production’s Grammy Award-winning cast. Eric Owens and Angel Blue star as the title couple, with conductor David Robertson on the podium.
Wexford Festival Opera 2021 presents Alfredo Catalani’s Edmea.
Ermonela Jaho, Elina Garanca, Brian Jagde and Nicola Alaimo star in a live performance from the Vienna State Opera.
Antonio Pappano conducts Michael Volle, Lise Davidsen, Klaus Florian Vogt and Johannes Martin Kränzle.
Born on this day in 1946 actress and superstar Holly Woodlawn.
In tribute to Edita Gruberova, a 2010 performance of one of her favorite later-career vehicles, Lucrezia Borgia.
An audio stream of tonight’s sold-out Met performance.
La Cieca hears that Anna Netrebko has cancelled her November performances of Nabucco in Vienna to schedule shoulder surgery.
The Slovak soprano, whose career spanned more than 50 years, died yesterday in Zurich. She was 74.
Happy 53rd birthday to actress, comedian and singer Jane Krakowski.
Asmik Grigorian as Jenufa in her Covent Garden debut and Karita Mattila as the Kostelnicka lead a star cast with conductor Henrik Nánási.
Born on this day in 1880 singer and vaudevillian Nora Bayes.
Bass René Pape, the world’s reigning Boris, reprises his overwhelming portrayal of the tortured tsar caught between grasping ambition and crippling paranoia. The original 1869 version runs two-and-a-quarter hours with no intermission.
Assuming Facebook and Instagram will remain inaccessible through the evening, here’s something to amuse you meantimes: La Cenerentola from the Teatro Real in Madrid.
The Met’s premiere of Terence Blanchard‘s Fire Shut Up in My Bones dominated the top ten list of most popular articles on parterre box in September.
The Metropolitan Opera’s opening night for 2021 features the the historic company premiere of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones.
Pop culture diva Kim Kardashian seized the opportunity of Sunday night’s Met gala to perform a scene from a lesser-known Richard Strauss opera, Der Schatten ohne Frau.
Born on this day in 1904 actress Gladys George.
Simone Young conducts a new production by Andreas Homoki from the Opernhaus Zürich.
Born on this day in 1938 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos.
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.
