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.
ell, La Cieca thought for a while there that last week’s Regie quiz had stumped the entire panel, but then along came floridante2k with the right answer.
Here’s an offbeat midweek attraction: a webcast of Vivaldi’s Farnace from Opéra National du Rhin, Strasbourg, featuring Max Emanuel Cencic, Vivica Genaux and Ruxandra Donose in a production by Lucinda Childs, conducted by George Petrou.
La Cieca, having worked her fingers to the bone counting votes, now is ready to reveal to you, the cher public, the winners of the Third Annual Parterre Box Awards.
La Cieca has reviewed the parterre circulation numbers and she is delighted and not a little perplexed to note that the day of the Great Opera News Kerfuffle provided our site with the highest number of pageviews in history.
Once the poor “fell0” has recovered, perhaps he will join in this week’s discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
Yes, that’s the lovely and talented Cecilia Bartoli peeking out from under those bangs, offering us a glimpse of her first staged Cleopatra.
Our Own Betsy Ann Bobolink (not pictured) writes: “Well, let’s see. They’ve used sinks, bathtubs, commodes. Except for bathroom scales, that takes care of the primary fixtures in la salle de bain. Boudoirs have been done to death. Clocks, chairs, chandeliers are all hopelessly passe. The only room left for an aspiring director to seek inspiration…
Our most recent Regie quiz provided a rare occasion on which La Cieca can perform her own victory cantata the celebrate the defeat of the nimble minds of the cher public.
Tanned, rested and ready to present, La Cieca invites you, the cher public, to vote on the best, worst and most egregious opera performances of the 2012-2013 season.
Press release: “Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Renée Fleming Wears Her Creative Consultant Hat in Chicago and On the Road”
“Aus den Trümmern der zusammengestürzten Halle sehen die Männer und Frauen in höchster Ergriffenheit dem wachsenden Feuerschein am Himmel zu.”
“Opera News, 76 years old and one of the leading classical music magazines in the country, said on Monday that it would stop reviewing the Metropolitan Opera, a policy prompted by the Met’s dissatisfaction over negative critiques.”
Due to health reasons, Natalie Dessay has withdrawn from the performances of Massenet’s Manon.
Two-time Tony-winning director Julie Taymor is working on developing… a modern [film] update of Richard Wagner’s opera The Flying Dutchman, called Riders of the Storm.
La Cieca’s still thinking about yesterday’s stellar performance by Anna Netrebko in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, but she’s willing to listen to discussion about off-topic and general interest subjects as well.
La Cieca’s choice of chat topic today is of course I Capuleti e i Montecchi, as webcast from the Bavarian State Opera at 1:00 PM EDT. Our own Betsy Ann Bobolink, however, naturally has her own ideas, as she will expound after the jump.
Anyone who stares at the opera schedule for June knows that this soprano with history of canceling isn’t going to show for that Italian gig.
Yet another reason (as if we needed one!) to adore Stefan Herheim: in describing his Konzept for Handel’s Serse, he uses the expression “eine barocke Muppetshow.”
Baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau died earlier today near Starnberg in Bavaria.
La Cieca has just heard that Herbert Breslin died this morning in Paris.
Karita Mattila is out of all Met performances of Un ballo in maschera next season, replaced by Sondra Radvanovsky.
La Cieca wants to get a jump on this busy birthday season by offering a remembrance of Birgit Nilsson a day early.
You can call Robert Lepage many things (and the critics have!), but one thing you cannot call him is “inflexible.”
“Based on journalist feedback,” the Met’s press office has ceased issuing email announcements of cast changes.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
