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.
In what surely must count as La Cieca’s idea of a perfect storm, Zachary Woolfe interviews Calixto Bieito in the New York Times.
Two questions: 1) Why? and 2) How might this postlude be staged?
“Jessye Norman, the renowned opera singer, will write a memoir about her family and professional life, her publisher said on Wednesday.”
YouTube yourselves into frenzy, cher public!
“In a season of high-profile duds like Don Giovanni and the Ring, the Met has found a winner in a dark horse, Mussorgsky’s moody Khovanshchina.”
“Central to the story is the fictional famed American soprano, Roxanne Coss, who will be portrayed by Australian-born American soprano Danielle de Niese.“
Sondra Radvanovsky will make her Met role debut as the title character in Verdi’s Aida on February 28…
It takes a lot from your commenters to surprise La Cieca, but this time she was frankly bowled over by the depth and breadth of your imagination.
Anything off-topic, anything general, anyone’ birthday—here’s where it belongs, cher public.
La Cieca has just heard some interesting and completely plausible gossip about 2013-14.
A live webcast of Ariadne auf Naxos (starring Our Own Renée Fleming) will be transmitted from the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden Saturday afternoon starting at 2:15 PM ET.
Opera Orchestra of New York just announced that it has cancelled the March 7 opera-in-concert presentation of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra.
The Met’s top-secret hush-hush season announcement will emerge from the Holy Grail shrine later today.
Maestro Wenarto achieves video number 1,500 with this opéra comique take on the immortal “Habanera” from Carmen.
La Cieca (pictured, left) celebrated her birthday early this year when she unexpectedly received the perfect gift—the following press release.
Heavens, what with breakdown of the site a couple weeks ago, the Regie quiz has been forgotten for all too long!
“Rufus Wainwright Talks Opera Prima Donna and Why the Genre’s ‘Not for Sissies'”
La Cieca thinks it would be fun for the cher public to play George Steel (or, given the difficulty of the task, Superman) and devise an upcoming season for NYCO.
Still going strong after (approximately) 1,500 YouTube appearances, Our Own Maestro Wenarto celebrates the anniversary of his birth today.
“With Anjelica Huston, Parker Posey and Yoko Ono dotting the crowd at BAM Sunday afternoon, the New York City Opera’s premiere of Prima Donna offered more diva presence offstage than on.”
“Ich zeige dem Publikum, was sie sehen sollen, und nicht, was sie sehen wollen, schließlich sind Oper und Theater kein Dienstleistungsgewerbe.”
It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time for your weekly intermission feature, a chance to discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.
The weekly Saturday afternoon chat continues today, cher public.
“Thomas Hampson to Sing at Groundbreaking Ceremony for Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture on Feb 22; President Barack Obama Will Deliver Remarks”
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
