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.
George Steel?
“There are ascenseurs even in Paris,” said the singer afterward.
Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin mixes it up a bit this week, presenting a score that should be familiar by now, though this time with a novel cast.
“When you read, and credit, the more feverish musings of the internet chatterati, there is some kind of British invasion storming the bastions of American opera.”
Our Own JJ (not pictured) offers his recommendations for 10 opera and classical music events worth hearing this spring.
Now that we’re all gathered, cher public, let’s make with the conversation about off-topic and general interest subjects.
Which soprano, whose lovely voice and charming stage presence should make her worth her weight in gold, is not being asked back to an opera company where she’s had great success?
In a slight detour from the usual all-opera-all-the-time format of parterre box, the queer opera zine, issue #44 centers on Ben Letzler‘s superb appreciation of film and cabaret diva Zarah Leander.
First up (naturally), Das Rheingold.
“Suite à la mort de Gerard qui n’avait pas pu assister à la première, conserver cette fin m’est devenu impossible.”
“The finale of Sweeney Todd left the stage of Avery Fisher Hall littered with corpses, but the evening, for all its flaws, felt vibrantly alive.”
According to the Facebook page of tenor Yusif Eyvazov (Des Grieux to Anna Netrebko‘s Manon in the Rome Opera Manon Lescaut), the two are “engaged.”
Miss Garden retired a year ago, going to the bandit-infested hills of Corsica to “write a book and ride a mule.”
Our Own Poison Ivy interviews conductor Alain Altinoglu over at her own blog, Poison Ivy’s Wall of Text.
“Including staff benefits, Gelb says a full-time chorus member at the Met earns an astonishing $300,000 (£180,000) a year, while the players of the Met Orchestra earn more than any orchestra in the US.”
Just in from the Met: “Daniel Sutin will sing the title role in tonight’s performance of Berg’s Wozzeck, replacing Thomas Hampson, who is recovering from bronchitis.”
La Cieca is delighted to salute the return of Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin to the regular Monday lineup at parterre.com. And what a special treat she has for us this week: a live performance of Werther starring Franco Corelli and Christa Ludwig!
Impresario Gerard Mortier died earlier today of pancreatic cancer. He was 70.
There’s always companionship of a sort here, cher public, whether it’s off-topic or general interest subjects you feel like discussing.
Recently, opera showed up at both Mets, the Metropolitan Opera and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager… has engaged Mr. Domingo to sing Don Carlo in Ernani next season, Simon Boccanegra the following season and Nabucco in 2016-17.”
parterre box has obtained a memo sent to artists’ managers in which AGMA Executive Director Alan Gordon warns singers contracted to sing at the Met in the 2014-2105 season that due to unpromising developments in upcoming labor negotiations the company may be dark for part or all of the season.
“Matthias Goerne is stepping into the title role in tonight’s opening night performance of Berg’s Wozzeck, replacing Thomas Hampson, who has withdrawn due to illness.”
From Mike Richter‘s CD-ROM “El Anillo,” here is radiant soprano Gré Brouwenstijn in the first act of Die Walküre as performed at the Teatro Colon in 1962.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
