Long division
La Cieca hears that Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott are going their separate ways. Expect an official announcement within a day or so.
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.
Mary II: the tantalization
“The tantalization of the monk in the luxurious apartments of Thaïs was daring and earnest in its realism.”
Head start
A preview of sorts of next weekend’s parterre get-together right this minute as BBC Radio 3 broadcasts Les Vêpres Siciliennes.
Awakening scene
Better late than never, cher public: you’ve still got a whole week to discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.
Canard en retard
Please forgive the lateness of this week’s howler, which in any event is something more of a squeaker anyway.
Ma, falle gli occhi azzuri!
Another treasure from Mike Richter‘s trove: the only studio recording of Dorothy Kirsten‘s celebrated Tosca.
Old testament
La Cieca hears that the Ravinia Festival in 2014 will do a novel take on Strauss’s Salome, setting the work in Milan’s celebrated “Casa di Riposo per Musicisti Giuseppe Verdi.”
Light reading
“Opera isn’t all about the music: On the most basic level, it’s a grotesquely expensive form of entertainment.”
Stormy, husky, brawling, Mary of the Big Shoulders
“Behold her now with her sleeves rolled up to her dimpled elbows, forewoman of the great Chicago voice factory, state bouncer and maker of contracts!”
Evviva Las Vegas
Where else would you be this evening at 7:55, cher public, but in La Casa della Cieca whilst the season premiere of Rigoletto emanates from the Met?
Melts in your mouth
The cher public are invited to quit stuffing their faces and get back to the business at hand: discussing off-topic and general interest subjects.
Sweatin’ with the passive-aggressive
“Pilates is my preferred form of torture.”
Why Rupert Christiansen is the wrong commentator about gay rights protesters
The veteran British critic click-whored…
Canard als Gast
This week’s canard is contributed in by the artistic director of Gotham Chamber Opera, Neal Goren.
“Die Frau,” nicht ohne chattin’
Where else would you be this evening at 7:25, cher public, but in La Casa della Cieca whilst Die Frau Ohne Schatten emanates from the Met?
Brotherly love
Again dipping into the rich archive of live recordings remastered and made available by the late Mike Richter, we find this selection from his early disc “Odd Opera 2.”
An audience with La Cieca
La Cieca is happy to announce a meet-and-greet gathering for New York City area parterre readers on November 24 starting at 2:30 pm at Symphony Space. The focal event of the afternoon will be a screening of Les Vêpres Siciliennes from the Royal Opera House at 3:00 pm, with socializing (pictured, above) to occur during […]
Melba not pleased at rivalry in opera
“The uncharitable suggestion is made that the Australian diva has taken umbrage at Oscar Hammerstein’s enthusiasm over Mary Garden…”
Blind leap
Which much-disliked diva at the Met will be replaced for the 2017 New Year’s Eve gala, repaid thus after only eight seasons on the roster?
An open letter to Sarah Billinghurst
Before you depart the Met at the end of this season, Ms. Billinghurst, you have the chance to do some good for both the Met audience and James Levine.
Save the date!
La Cieca asks all members of the cher public in the New York City area to pencil in 3:00 pm on Sunday, November 24 as combination meet-and-greet of the parterriani and viewing of the HD film of Les Vêpres siciliennes at Symphony Space.
Stay! Plotz!
La Cieca expects a capacity audience for this week’s discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
X, Y and Anna
What better way for the world’s leading opera diva to celebrate Halloween than to dress up as “Slutty Zombie Circa 1972 Elizabeth Taylor?”
Slow curtain
La Cieca has just been informed that Deborah Voigt‘s engagement as Leonore in Fidelio at Liège has quietly disappeared from her website.