Notte e giorno faticar
At last, the quintessential targeted reader of parterre.com has been identified.
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.
Chiedi all’aura lusinghiera
La Rondine, which began as a light Viennese operetta before being transformed into an Italian tearjerker, is not a natural diva vehicle…
Zukunftsmiausik
Leave it to a cat to transform a Wagner festival into the Jellicle Ball.
C’est la guerre, mais ce n’est pas magnifique
If war is hell, then Soldier Songs should rank somewhere around “purgatory.”
Blind haste
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?
Found object
Well, you can slash La Cieca’s veins, drink her blood and trample her corpse, because she did not see this one coming!
Winged victory
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.
The chat with nine lives
Thanks for your feedback, cher public. La Cieca has implemented the new chat software with your suggestions at La Casa della Cieca.
A night at the museum
Move over, Sam Ramey, there’s a new Timur in town.
Sicura, presta è la mia difesa
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.
Ed io quest’Angela osava maledir!
Angela Meade will sing the role of Leonora in tomorrow afternoon’s performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill.
“He is more than a prince, he’s an ace!”
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.
Blind item
Anna Netrebko sings “Tvajo malchan’je nepan’atna” from Iolanta earlier this evening at the Liceu, Barcelona.
New York has neon, Berlin has bars, but ah! Caramoor!
This summer at Caramoor, Will Crutchfield (not pictured) will conduct two Verdi operas written for the Académie Royale de Musique.
The next voice you hear
La Cieca is delighted to announce that she has joined the cast of WQXR’s radio edition of “Operavore.”
Queens of song
Our own JJ ponders the Met’s new production of Maria Stuarda (not pictured) for Musical America.
Hot ticket
La Cieca invites the cher public (all of you!) to engage in the weekly ritual of discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
I am missing the winter now
One quick way to warm up: Watching tenor heartthrob Roberto Alagna.
Vil cutlet
True, Joyce DiDonato’s Mary spat out those fighting words in a tangy chest voice, but it was hard to believe she meant them.
A little off the top
Michael Capasso, General Director of the Dicapo Opera Theatre has announced that Dicapo will be going on hiatus for a period of six months.
Bicentenarian
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?
Fire and Ice
“Don’t listen to a Romanian man who says he prefers a ‘natural’ woman,” says Gheorghiu.
The year in review
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.