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.
Hall of shame
“What I find bizarre is the insistence that no one—not the school, not Opera North, not the local education authority—is being homophobic. Instead, we have the strange position that, because the children are of primary-school age, these lines are too difficult and confusing for them.” The lines in question are “Of course I’m queer/That’s why […]
Don’t regie me in
It was E-news, as quick and accurate as the name would imply, who first zoomed in on last week’s Regie quiz. The piece depicted was indeed I due Figaro, one of those “other” Figaro operas, this one by Saverio Mercadante, as performed at the Salzburg Pfingstfestspiele in a production by Emilio Sagi.
Intermission feature
Here it is, cher public (pictured): your off-topic and general discussion thread for the week of July 3.
OONY: one’s guess
An internet leak, quickly plugged but too late, reveals Opera Orchestra of New York’s 2011-12 projected season. On Tuesday, November 8, Angela Gheorghiu and Jonas Kaufmann will grace Carnegie Hall with Adriana Lecouvreur. Then, on Sunday, January 29, Ian Storey and Elisabete Matos headline Rienzi, presumably maestro Queler’s sole appearance of the season. The final […]
Ugly head reared
The way I see it, there are bad ideas, like the revival of 1980s style for men or the U.S. defaulting on its debt ceiling. Then there are geniunely horrific delusions that should not even be mentioned in public, the kind of stuff you read in the comments section of breitbart.com. Today in Bloomberg’s coverage […]
By La Cieca
Screen names
“Here, finally, is not merely the music on the Internet, but the music of the Internet…” Zachary Woolfe reacts to Nico Muhly‘s Two Boys in the New York Times.
Most likely to succeed
La Cieca is always delighted but never, never surprised when a parterrian makes good, so permit her to congratulate Miguel Esteban, who has just been named Managing Director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Cher Miguel is one of your fellow commenters here, but La Cieca will not offer any clues to his secret […]
World weary
You only thought the “Brokeback” Eugene Onegin was the gayest possible take on the Tchaikovsky “lyric scenes.” Now, along comes La Cieca’s fave director Stefan Herheim‘s extravagant, transgressive, high-camp symbolist (and about a dozen other adjectives) approach to the work, “gay” in the very best sense of gay sensibility. Video after the jump!
Eye witnesses?
Appearances to the contrary, La Cieca can’t be everywhere at once, so she’s relying on you, cher public, to share your impressions (written, not vocal) of the Rufus Wainwright/George Steel extravaganza last night at the World Financial Center. (Extra points for the use of the word “travertine.”)
Before he was famous
A trailer for the experimental film The Violinist, promising “strange drama… sex… drugs… and classical music.” And, oh yes, with billing yet, Our Own George Steel.
Regie vincitor!
By popular demand, the return of the Regie quiz. La Cieca will not ask you to identify the above photo because the identity of the opera is so obvious. Instead, use your reasoning powers on the photos after ths jump. As always, cher public, if you actually recognize the production, stay quiet while others guess!
Outside the box
While nursing her sunburn after yesterday’s New York Pride parade (were these things always five hours long?) La Cieca wandered about the web a bit until she found a copy of the text of the 1922 edition of Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home by her fellow doyenne Emily Post.
Intermission feature, week of June 26
For you, cher public (pictured), your weekly off-topic general discussion thread.
People come, people go. Nothing ever happens.
On this first day of full equality here in New York, La Cieca is going to be just the teensiest bit quizzical and suggest listening to a couple of works that prove that not all operas are created equal! The two grand selections follow the jump.
Blinding from within
Which NYCO board member—who haunted the company’s Lincoln Center venue for many years—has just taken a walk, resigning in sympathy with the unions?
21st century fox
“A singing crossbreed—a fox with human intelligence—stars in Leos Janacek’s opera, The Cunning Little Vixen. If only the New York Philharmonic’s semistaged performance Wednesday night were as successful a hybrid.” [New York Post]
Disc drive
Which legendary musician secretly went into surgery over the weekend, in hopes of once more becoming the (ahem) backbone of his company?
Meet and grate
La Cieca’s spy attended today’s confab between George Steel (representing NYCO) and 29 singers and production personnel (AGMA) and 24 orchestra members (Local 802). The spy’s observations after the jump.
Who is Heidi?
UPDATE: La Cieca has just heard from Rosalind Elias‘s management with the news that the veteran mezzo will indeed transfer to Broadway with the Kennedy Center company of Follies. Apparently Playbill was given erroneous information.
The seasons alter
La Cieca is informed that the New York City Opera and AGMA are meeting today for discussions relating to the company’s 2011-12 schedule—which, by the way, is supposed to be announced sometime this week, but La Cieca isn’t holding her breath.
Separated in alt
“That high E-natural must be up there somewhere,” these two ladies seem to be saying in unison: Voice of the Century Joan Sutherland and Voice of the Xtabay Yma Sumac.
Intermission feature, week of June 19
For you, cher public (pictured), your weekly off-topic general discussion thread.
Casting: pearls before swine
Your season planning for Opera Orchestra of New York, cher public, looks a lot more interesting than what the company’s own artistic adminstration is likely to come up with. Thus far, La Cieca has heard one date for certain: that Eve Queler default choice Rienzi, this time with Elisabete Matos—presumably in the not very interesting […]