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.

Fedora Fedora

Starring Mirella Freni, Ainhoa Arteta, P____ D____, Dwayne Croft and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, conducted by Roberto Abbado. Production by Beppe De Tomasi. From April 26, 1997.

on May 28, 2021 at 5:17 PM
The Nose The Nose

Starring Paulo Szot, conducted by Pavel Smelkov. Production by William Kentridge. From October 26, 2013.

on May 27, 2021 at 6:00 PM
Giving in to whims Giving in to whims

Born on this day in 1879 actress Lucile Watson.

on May 27, 2021 at 8:00 AM
La Donna del Lago La Donna del Lago

Starring Joyce DiDonato, Daniela Barcellona, Juan Diego Flórez, John Osborn, and Oren Gradus, conducted by Michele Mariotti. Production by Paul Curran. From March 14, 2015.

on May 26, 2021 at 5:46 PM
The flavor’s marvelous The flavor’s marvelous

Caption contest!

on May 26, 2021 at 4:03 PM
Prince Igor Prince Igor

Starring Oksana Dyka, Anita Rachvelishvili, Sergey Semishkur, Ildar Abdrazakov, Mikhail Petrenko, and Stefan Kocán, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. Production by Dmitri Tcherniakov. From March 1, 2014.

on May 25, 2021 at 6:01 PM
Thaïs Thaïs

Starring Renée Fleming, Michael Schade, and Thomas Hampson, conducted by Jesús López-Cobos. Production by John Cox. From December 20, 2008.

on May 24, 2021 at 6:25 PM
The Queen of Spades The Queen of Spades

Starring Galina Gorchakova, Elisabeth Söderström, P____ D____, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Nikolai Putilin, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Production by Elijah Moshinsky. From April 15, 1999.

on May 23, 2021 at 3:37 PM
Lucia di Lammermoor Lucia di Lammermoor

Starring Joan Sutherland, Alfredo Kraus, Pablo Elvira, and Paul Plishka, conducted by Richard Bonynge. Production by Margherita Wallmann. From November 13, 1982.

on May 22, 2021 at 5:23 PM
Three times a diva Three times a diva

Sopranos Ailyn Pérez and Nadine Sierra join forces with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, as well as pianist Vlad Iftinca and guitarist Pablo Sainz-Villegas, for a program of favorite arias and scenes, transmitted live from the Royal Opera of Versailles in France.

on May 22, 2021 at 10:44 AM
Nabucco Nabucco

Starring Liudmyla Monastyrska, Jamie Barton, Russell Thomas, P____ D____, and Dmitry Belosselskiy, conducted by J___ L___. Production by Elijah Moshinsky. From January 7, 2017.

on May 21, 2021 at 5:28 PM
La sonnambula La sonnambula

Starring Natalie Dessay, Juan Diego Flórez, and Michele Pertusi, conducted by Evelino Pidò. Production by Mary Zimmerman. From March 21, 2009.

on May 20, 2021 at 6:07 PM
Boris Godunov Boris Godunov

Starring Ekaterina Semenchuk, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Oleg Balashov, Evgeny Nikitin, René Pape, Mikhail Petrenko, and Vladimir Ognovenko, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Production by Stephen Wadsworth. From October 23, 2010.

on May 19, 2021 at 5:30 PM
Waiting for a girl like you Waiting for a girl like you

Born on this day in 1939 actress Nancy Kwan.

on May 19, 2021 at 9:35 AM
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 May 18, 2021 at 6:57 PM
Faust Faust

From the Vienna State Opera with Juan Diego Flórez, Nicole Car, Adam Palka, Étienne Dupuis, Kate Lindsey.

on May 17, 2021 at 11:00 AM
I am a victim of telephone I am a victim of telephone

For the Met, high ticket costs, hostile unions and COVID are only part of the problem, according to performer, teacher and writer David Rohde.

on May 17, 2021 at 9:43 AM
The Met National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert The Met National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert

This afternoon, ten outstanding young singers—chosen from among 1,200 applicants—compete in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert. 

on May 16, 2021 at 10:24 AM
Il Barbiere di Siviglia Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Starring Isabel Leonard, Lawrence Brownlee, Christopher Maltman, Maurizo Muraro, and Paata Burchuladze, conducted by Michele Mariotti. Production by Bartlett Sher. From November 22, 2014.

on May 15, 2021 at 5:55 PM
La traviata La traviata

Pretty Yende, Juan Diego Flórez, Igor Golovatenko, Margaret Plummer.

on May 15, 2021 at 11:00 AM
The Audition The Audition

This feature-length documentary takes you behind the scenes of the Met’s National Council Auditions, in which, each year, thousands of hopefuls compete for a cash prize, the chance to sing on the Met stage—and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career. Directed by Susan Froemke.

on May 14, 2021 at 5:30 PM
Boris Godunov Boris Godunov

Adam Palka stars in this production recorded at the Staatsoper Stuttgart.

on May 14, 2021 at 12:07 PM
Der Rosenkavalier Der Rosenkavalier

Starring Renée Fleming, Christine Schäfer, Susan Graham, Eric Cutler, Thomas Allen, and Kristinn Sigmundsson, conducted by Edo de Waart. Production by Nathaniel Merrill. From January 9, 2010.

on May 13, 2021 at 6:00 PM
Die Walküre, Act 1 Die Walküre, Act 1

Conductor: Asher Fisch; Sieglinde: Lise Davidsen; Siegmund: Jonas Kaufmann; Hunding: Georg Zeppenfeld.

on May 13, 2021 at 12:54 PM