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.
At last, the quintessential targeted reader of parterre.com has been identified.
La Rondine, which began as a light Viennese operetta before being transformed into an Italian tearjerker, is not a natural diva vehicle…
Leave it to a cat to transform a Wagner festival into the Jellicle Ball.
If war is hell, then Soldier Songs should rank somewhere around “purgatory.”
Which recent debut has the Met’s administrators intoxicating themselves with dreams of a return engagement for the budding star in the second cast of one of next season’s new productions?
Well, you can slash La Cieca’s veins, drink her blood and trample her corpse, because she did not see this one coming!
A wayward bouquet conked Kristine Opolais on her noggin during the ovation Friday night in La Rondine—but that was the only mishap in the Latvian soprano’s spectacular Met debut.
Thanks for your feedback, cher public. La Cieca has implemented the new chat software with your suggestions at La Casa della Cieca.
Move over, Sam Ramey, there’s a new Timur in town.
Out of concern for the cher public over possible security issues with Java, La Cieca suggests that you hold your Saturday chat here in the comments section of this posting.
Angela Meade will sing the role of Leonora in tomorrow afternoon’s performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill.
Doubled and redoubled congratulations to Met press director Peter Clark, who tied for the Greater New York Bridge Association Flight B Player of the Year award.
Anna Netrebko sings “Tvajo malchan’je nepan’atna” from Iolanta earlier this evening at the Liceu, Barcelona.
This summer at Caramoor, Will Crutchfield (not pictured) will conduct two Verdi operas written for the Académie Royale de Musique.
La Cieca is delighted to announce that she has joined the cast of WQXR’s radio edition of “Operavore.”
Our own JJ ponders the Met’s new production of Maria Stuarda (not pictured) for Musical America.
La Cieca invites the cher public (all of you!) to engage in the weekly ritual of discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
It shouldn’t take you but a moment to find the great huge clunking error of fact in this Vanity Fair profile of Joyce DiDonato.
One quick way to warm up: Watching tenor heartthrob Roberto Alagna.
True, Joyce DiDonato’s Mary spat out those fighting words in a tangy chest voice, but it was hard to believe she meant them.
Michael Capasso, General Director of the Dicapo Opera Theatre has announced that Dicapo will be going on hiatus for a period of six months.
La Cieca it would be both fun and appropriate to get an early start celebrating one of this year’s two major 200th birthdays, that of Richard Wagner, and what better way to kick up our heels than with a parterre competition?
“Don’t listen to a Romanian man who says he prefers a ‘natural’ woman,” says Gheorghiu.
In the calendar year 2012, parterre.com garnered an estimated five million pageviews, with over 1,600,000 visits and more than 300,000 unique visitors.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
