Forever plaid
It’s the week of Maria Stuarda, cher public, sure to be near the foreground in our latest discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
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.
She’s Tyred
Elizabeth Bishop will sing Didon today at the Met, replacing an ailing Susan Graham.
Schrödinger’s cat fancy
“So is opera as vibrant as ever, or is it hanging on by a thread? How to write the history of an art form that hovers, Schrödinger’s catlike, simultaneously alive and dead?”
Décolletage
Feel free to bare more than just your shoulders, cher public, as you discuss this week’s off-topic and general interest subjects.
The naked and the dead
The controversial production of La traviata from La Monnaie directed by Andrea Breth is now available for viewing online.
Quand viendra l’instant des suprêmes adieux
American tenor Bryan Hymel will make his Met debut, singing the role on December 26, December 29 matinee, January 1, and January 5 matinee (the date of the global HD transmission).
Happy birthday, Giacomo Puccini
“Il Leone di Lucca” (as La Cieca has never heard the composer called) was born December 22, 1858.
En proie à la maladie
Pretty Yende will make her Met debut as Countess Adèle in this season’s performances of Rossini’s Le Comte Ory.
Express your elf!
La Cieca (pictured) would like to remind those members of the cher public with last-minute gift shopping needs that purchases from the Little Shop of Arias completed today (Friday) can still reach the recipient by December 24.
The singing dead
“Somehow with opera, just as with theatre, it turns out that the monster’s head still hasn’t been cut off. Or else, like any monster worthy of the name, it keeps finding ways to rise from the grave.” Occasional friend of the box Joseph Cermatori offers an obituary of sorts for opera in New York in […]
Wait… what?
“La Scala has canceled the inaugural ballet of its season because of a strike by the chorus.”
Ribbed for your discomfort
The Trojan Horse seemed like a great idea—that is, until it led to disaster.
Gentlemen prefer blinds
Which heaven-sent young artist is about to make a late Christmas present of his talents to an opera house that now (uselessly, no doubt) regrets not casting him in the first place?
Blind date
While male half of a famous operatic couple has now become involved with a “chick” with whom he recently co-starred?
The wanton doyenne
La Cieca invites all of you to spend this intermission in a constructive way: not rioting for Italian independence, but discussing off-topic and general interest subjects, as people do.
Today’s secret word is Regie
Perhaps La Cieca did not quite play fair with you on the most recent Regie quiz, cher public.
Be very afraid
Turn of the Screw is an incredibly frightening ghost story really at the heart of it but with a very modern edge.
Wingless victory
Of particular visual interest in last weekend’s Lohengrin (though not perhaps so tantalizing as Jonas Kaufmann‘s aristocratic bare feet, pictured above) is the very obvious change in the staging that was made between the antegenerale (in which Anja Harteros sang Elsa) and the telecast opening night.
Galina Vishnevskaya 1926-2012
The soprano and political dissident of the postwar Soviet Union died yesterday in Moscow. She was 86.
Lisa della Casa 1919-2012
The elegant Swiss-born soprano has died at 93.
Una donna misteriosa ognora
Soprano Kristin Lewis will sing the role of Maddalena in Opera Orchestra of New York’s presentation of Andrea Chenier on January 6.
Two pairs of pants
“French mezzo-soprano Géraldine Chauvet will make her Met debut as Sesto in this evening’s performance of Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, replacing Elina Garanca, who is ill.”
“Say that La Cieca leaves her loge in disgust at the travesty they call Art in this opera house!”
Actually, Lohengrin at La Scala wasn’t all that bad, so the reports go.
Don’t mask, don’t tell
But do chat this afternoon, cher public, during the season opener of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2012-2013 Saturday matinee broadcasts.