La Cieca

James Jorden (who writes under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") is the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he has written for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He has also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he has directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni, a work he hopes to return to someday. Currently he alternates his doyenne duties with writing a weekly column on opera for the New York Observer.

Don Carlo Don Carlo

Starring Marina Poplavskaya, Anna Smirnova, Roberto Alagna, Simon Keenlyside, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Eric Halfvarson, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Production by Nicholas Hytner. From December 11, 2010.

on June 19, 2021 at 5:15 PM
Aida Aida

Leontyne Price is joined by the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry in her radio debut as the Princess Amneris. Carlo Bergonzi sings the role of Radamès and Robert Merrill is Amonasro. Thomas Schippers conducts.

on June 19, 2021 at 10:50 AM
Rigoletto Rigoletto

Starring Christiane Eda-Pierre, Isola Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Louis Quilico, and Ara Berberian, conducted by J____ L_____. Production by John Dexter. From December 15, 1981.

on June 18, 2021 at 5:07 PM
Idomeneo Idomeneo

Starring Elza van den Heever, Nadine Sierra, Alice Coote, Matthew Polenzani, and Alan Opie, conducted by James Levine. Production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. From March 25, 2017.

on June 17, 2021 at 5:00 PM
La Traviata La Traviata

Starring Natalie Dessay, Matthew Polenzani and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by Willy Decker. From April 14, 2012.

on June 16, 2021 at 4:32 PM
Die Walküre Die Walküre

Starring Christine Goerke, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Jamie Barton, Stuart Skelton, Greer Grimsley, and Günther Groissböck, conducted by Philippe Jordan. Production by Robert Lepage. From March 30, 2019.

on June 15, 2021 at 11:07 AM
It ain’t necessary It ain’t necessary

Born on this day in 1894 composer and arranger/orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett.

on June 15, 2021 at 9:12 AM
Così fan tutte Così fan tutte

Starring Amanda Majeski, Serena Malfi, Kelli O’Hara, Ben Bliss, Adam Plachetka, and Christopher Maltman, conducted by David Robertson. Production by Phelim McDermott. From March 31, 2018.

on June 13, 2021 at 6:08 PM
La fanciulla del West La fanciulla del West

From the Staatsoper Berlin: Anja Kampe, Marcelo Álvarez and Michael Volle, conducted by Antonio Pappano.

on June 13, 2021 at 9:30 AM
Macbeth Macbeth

From the Vienna State Opera, Luca Salsi, Anna Netrebko, Roberto Tagliavini and Freddi De Tommaso, conducted by Philippe Jordan.

on June 12, 2021 at 10:00 AM
The Tempest The Tempest

Starring Audrey Luna, Isabel Leonard, Iestyn Davies, Alek Shrader, Alan Oke, William Burden, Toby Spence, and Simon Keenlyside, conducted by Thomas Adès. Production by Robert Lepage. From November 10, 2012.

on June 11, 2021 at 7:12 PM
Miss Show Business Miss Show Business

Born on this day in 1922 entertainer Judy Garland.

on June 10, 2021 at 12:09 PM
Rigoletto Rigoletto

Starring Diana Damrau, Oksana Volkova, Piotr Beczala, Zeljko Lucic, and Stefan Kocan, conducted by Michele Mariotti. Production by Michael Mayer. From February 16, 2013.

on June 07, 2021 at 6:21 PM
Macbeth Macbeth

Starring Anna Netrebko, Joseph Calleja, Zeljko Lucic, and René Pape, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by Adrian Noble. From October 11, 2014.

on June 05, 2021 at 6:40 PM
Billy Budd Billy Budd

Performance from March 8, 1997.
Steuart Bedford; Philip Langridge (Captain Vere), Dwayne Croft (Billy Budd), James Morris (Claggart), Victor Braun (Mr. Redburn), Julien Robbins (Lt. Ratcliffe), James Courtney (Mr. Flint), Paul Plishka (Dansker)

on June 05, 2021 at 11:00 AM
Porgy and Bess Porgy and Bess

Starring Angel Blue, Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, Eric Owens, Alfred Walker, and Donovan Singletary, conducted by David Robertson. Production by James Robinson. From February 1, 2020.

on June 04, 2021 at 6:15 PM
“Did you get her innuendo?” “Did you get her innuendo?”

Born on this day in 1907 actress Rosalind Russell.

on June 04, 2021 at 8:32 AM
La Fille du Régiment La Fille du Régiment

Starring Pretty Yende, Stephanie Blythe, Kathleen Turner, Javier Camarena, and Maurizio Muraro, conducted by Enrique Mazzola. Production by Laurent Pelly. From March 2, 2019.

on June 03, 2021 at 6:04 PM
Carmen Carmen

Starring Aleksandra Kurzak, Clémentine Margaine, Roberto Alagna, and Alexander Vinogradov, conducted by Louis Langrée. Production by Sir Richard Eyre. From February 2, 2019.

on June 02, 2021 at 5:23 PM
All about that Wagner All about that Wagner

In May, everyone wanted to hear those Wagnerians, shown here singing Strauss.

on June 02, 2021 at 10:00 AM
Samson et Dalila Samson et Dalila

Starring Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna, Laurent Naouri, Elchin Azizov, and Dmitry Belosselskiy, conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Production by Darko Tresnjak. From October 20, 2018.

on June 01, 2021 at 6:49 PM
Turandot Turandot

Starring Christine Goerke, Eleonora Buratto, Yusif Eyvazov and James Morris, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From October 12, 2019.

on May 31, 2021 at 5:17 PM
Le Comte Ory Le Comte Ory

Starring Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Susanne Resmark, Juan Diego Flórez, Stéphane Degout, and Michele Pertusi, conducted by Maurizio Benini. Production by Bartlett Sher. From April 9, 2011.

on May 30, 2021 at 5:59 PM
Capriccio Capriccio

Starring Renée Fleming, Sarah Connolly, Joseph Kaiser, Russell Braun, Morten Frank Larsen, and Peter Rose, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. Production by John Cox. From April 23, 2011.

on May 29, 2021 at 5:12 PM