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.
Giovanni Pacini’s 1827 opera, revived for the first time since the 19th century.
Born on this day in 1920 or so actor Yul Brynner.
Alex Esposito and Lisette Oropesa star at the Teatro Real de Madrid.
On this day in 1967 the Metropolitan Opera presented its first “Met in the Parks” performance in Crocheron Park, Bayside, Queens. La bohème featured Anna Moffo, Sandor Konya, Laurel Hurley and Frank Guarrera.
For your Friday evening chatting pleasure, a video from the Opéra Comique, Paris.
“Gabriela Lena Frank‘s score for Frida y Diego was nothing short of extraordinary, at times recalling Béla Bartók (in her treatment for climaxes) or Giacomo Puccini (in her handling of choruses), but the musical idioms were certainly her own. I particularly mesmerized by many instrumental solos peppered throughout the score (most particularly the bassoon and violin solos), and Frank used such device to define the characters, almost in a way of leitmotif.”
Renowned musical artist Jonas Kaufmann has returned to his first true love, recording dated kitsch.
Tonight’s chat is late (10:00 PM EDT / 7:00 PM PDT) and based on a pay-per-view event, but….
The final broadcast of the season.
“I’ve never laughed so much nor been so moved by a Zauberflöte until Simon McBurney’s where even its Busby Berkeley-flavored finale brought tears to my eyes.”
Once again, La Cieca thanks you for your concern and patience during May 2023.
Tomasz Konieczny stars as the accursed Dutchman in Wagner’s haunting ghost story.
“Following her sublime Met debut two weeks ago leading Don Giovanni, Nathalie Stutzmann once again led a fleet and transparent reading full of ravishing detail.”
“One consistent feature was a tendency across the cast to tip from recitative into aria with no pause for breath or thought. The effect was almost naturalistic—if such a thing were possible in opera—and was just one example of the many ways in which the night’s music felt fresh, even urgent.”
In voice, artistic sensibility and glamour, the singer was every inch a diva.
Giacomo Meyerbeer’s Singspiel in three acts, as broadcast from Bonn Opera.
Peter Mattei heads a luxe cast conducted by Nathalie Stutzmann.
La Cieca was most gratified to see that the cher public kept visiting parterre.com and commenting on every topic under the sun during her mid-April bout of illness!
Performance from November 9, 2022.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
