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.
Over at the Met they’re dropping like, well, you know. Per the press office: “Marco Armiliato will conduct Puccini’s La Bohème on January 31, February 3, 7, 10, 17, 22, and 25, replacing Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, who has withdrawn for personal reasons.” There’s more!
Not to scoop Brad Wilber (if such a thing were possible!) but La Cieca has just heard that the much-discussed opening night of the Met’s 2012-13 season has been settled. Starring in a new Bartlett Sher production of L’elisir d’amore will be Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien, with Dulcamara and conductor TBA.
Resolved: Luc Bondy‘s production of Tosca is the same as Darren Aronofsky‘s Black Swan. Side argument: this season’s revival of Tosca is like the eventual recut of Black Swan for basic cable. (Tosca photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)
Opera’s girl next door—if you live on Riverside Drive—Anna Netrebko discusses her many egg recipes and her favorite pajama boutiques in the Sunday Routine column in the New York Times. (Her own John Raitt, in the person of Erwin Schrott, put in a cameo appearance not in pajamas but a tight t-shirt.)
Commenter emerita Poison Ivy (now a blogress in her own right) takes on the dark side of fandom over at Poison Ivy’s Wall of Text. Find out what the fan did!
La Cieca (pictured) invites the cher public (also pictured) to a chat this afternoon at 1:00 PM EST during the Met broadcast of La traviata (likewise pictured). Details follow the jump!
“A show can get better for a long time without ever getting good.” Our own JJ muses on the revised staging of Tosca on view this season at the Met. [Rough and Regie]
Says the Met press office: “Roberto De Biasio will make his Met debut as Gabriele Adorno in the Thursday, January 20 opening performance of Simon Boccanegra, replacing Ramón Vargas, who is ill. Mr. Vargas is scheduled to sing the remainder of the performances.”
After six months of professional silence, Natalie Dessay will return to the stage on Monday in Giulio Cesare at the Palais Garnier. A hint of what the Handel may sound like will be found after the jump.
Fans of Joyce DiDonato and fairness (and there is considerable overlap between the two groups) will be happy to know that the Metropolitan Opera, as part of a settlement in a civil rights lawsuit, has agreed to increase accessibilty to the opera house, including the installation of additional wheelchair seating. [NYT]
The Germans have a word for everything except what La Cieca is about to propose, which is why she made up her own Mammutwort for, well, a contest having to do with stage productions, specifically those of Wagner music dramas. (The “consecration” is understood, you see.) The rules and what you can win, after the…
La Cieca’s turf has been violated, and by Our Own JJ‘s colleagues (sort of) at the New York Post, to boot! [Page Six]
“This year may go down as one filled with surprises at the Met, kicking off with an unexpected role for a familiar tenor and a dazzling debut for a budding superstar.” [New York Post] (Photo: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera)
Who knew that, among all his other accomplishments, Alfredo Kraus was an interpreter of Poulenc monodrame?
UPDATE: “Roberto Alagna will make his Met role debut as Cavaradossi in tonight’s opening performance of Tosca, replacing Marcelo Álvarez, who withdrew this afternoon due to the lingering effects of a cold.” Whoever her tenor might be, the occasion of parterriani fave Sondra Radvanovksy‘s first Met Tosca calls for dancing in the streets, drinking in…
Those sleek monochromatic idols were, in fact, film stars in last week’s Regie quiz. This Opéra national du Rhin production of La Belle Hélène, directed by Mariame Clément, won half credit for talented cosmodimontevergine, who recognized William Randolph Hearst’s neo-classical swimming pool in San Simeon and recalled the use of that image in a recent staging…
“A cover article this weekend about choosing the Top 10 classical composers misstates, at one point, the length of time that opera had existed as of 1750, when Bach died. As the article correctly conveys in other references, opera had been around for roughly 150 years then, not ‘a half-century’.” La Cieca is sure the…
La Cieca welcomes “the boys” (and girls, too!) to a chat during this afternoon’s broadcast of La fanciulla del West from the Met. The first shot will be fired at 1:00 pm precisely!
“Decker’s vision of Traviata, like most great productions, combines emotional truth with intellectual rigor—or, rather, there is a synergy between these two qualities that illuminates the entire work.” Our Own JJ takes apart the giant watch to find out what makes it tick, over at Musical America.
Paint La Cieca astonished that Renée Fleming and Lorna Luft volley back and forth the compliment “You open your mouth and that noise comes out. How do you do that?” No, you! No, you! [In the Noh]
Separated at birth: “Tu che di gel” goddess Renata Scotto and “Too much hair gel” oddness Johnny Weir. This is also holiday-themed breaking news because Johnny has now officially donned his gay apparel. [After Elton]
Lovely Marina Poplavskaya, arriving at the Mercedes T. Bass Grand Tier for dinner following the opening night of La traviata, demonstrates that the previous Franco Zeffirelli production has not gone to waste. The latter-day Scarlett O’Hara‘s motto: “Reduce Reuse Recycle!”
“I must say choosing from among these finalists is almost impossible, as there are bits and pieces from each one I like and admire the thought process and the experience each one highlights for us. For me they are all intelligent and quite wonderful— skewed perhaps by their times and what is and is not…
“Mr. Decker joined Acts II, III and IV by creating a tableau at the end of each act that dissolved into the beginning of the next. It was theatrically effective, but made for a long sit for the audience.” This, and a whole lot of other hogwash, in The Wall Street Journal.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
