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.
René Pape has withdrawn from La Scala’s season-opening new production of Die Walküre, in what was to have been his role debut as Wotan. Vitalij Kowaljow will substitute. Pape is still scheduled to sing this role at the Berlin Staatsoper in April 2011. It is not clear at this point if Pape’s decision was based […]
In layman’s terms: they have lost their fucking minds. Larger image here.
The original gay pirate is (sort of) 223 years old, since the Prague premiere of Mozart’s masterpiece took place on October 29, 1787.
Our Own JJ‘s heart has been blessed with the sound of Regie, and he’s blogged once more. This time it’s about The Little Foxes at New York Theatre Workshop. [Rough and Regie]
After enjoying the New York City Opera’s current production of A Quiet Place, why not treat yourself to one of the company’s signature cocktails before the long drive home? [Wall Street Journal]
“…incest, gay baiting, draft dodging and drunken driving… it’s hard not to giggle!” Our Own JJ reviews the NYCO’s premiere of A Quiet Place in the New York Post.
Enterprising Manhattan troupe Gotham Chamber Opera will announce tonight their participation in the commission of a new American opera, Dark Sisters, composed by Nico Muhly with libretto by Stephen Karam, conducted by Neal Goren, and directed by Rebecca Taichman.
At long last, complete details on how you, the cher public, can join the party for the First Ever East Coast Parterre Meet and Greet this November 14. Details after the jump.
With the new opera season about to begin in The Venue Formerly Known as The New York State Theater, what better time to recall what else David H. Koch does with his spare billions, i.e., conniving to deprive Americans of affordable healthcare, as well as “to conflate crony capitalism with free enterprise, and free enterprise with […]
On the way to the OONY comeback concert at Carnegie Hall last night, La Cieca ran into an old, old, old and utterly anonymous friend who had recently had a tête-à-tête with an associate of that publicist who recently parted ways with that celebrated Opera MILF. Well!
Which tenor twink was cruising everything in pants in the men’s room at Carnegie Hall tonight? And do you think he will behave thus when he returns to the Met later this season?
Roberto Alagna, star of tonight’s pair of one-acters by Opera Orchestra of New York, discusses divorce and desserts with Our Own JJ. [New York Post]
First of many to associate our most recent Regie quiz with King Lear was WeillFan. It’s not exactly King Lear, but rather a work called Promised End by Alexander Goehr based upon scenes from the Shakespeare tragedy. This next puzzler is probably not Shakespearian, but then again, La Cieca has been know to be wrong […]
“Thirty years after the action of Tahiti the young son, Junior, is now gay and possibly schizophrenic; his former lover is married to his younger sister, Dede. During his mother’s funeral Junior starts a striptease in front of his father, knocking into the coffin in the process…. This was neither the sound nor the subject […]
Of course you’re all busy this afternoon with the HD of Boris Godunov, right? Oh, pardon me, you’re reading this, aren’t you? In that case, maybe you’ll take some of Betsy’s suggestions for the weekend pick a little chat a little.
Two versions, and it’s hard to say which one is more revolting, of one of the least savory moments in the life of Leonard Bernstein.
Our Own JJ has launched yet another blog (king of all media that he is), this one devoted to the study of Regie in all its forms and formats. It’s over at MusicalAmerica.com, and the author has given La Cieca permission to invite you all to comment. [Rough and Regie]
Forget all the others: we’ve found our Anne Welles! [Opera News]
“After a 15-year collaboration that catapulted Renée Fleming from just another plush-voiced soprano to a glamorous, genre-crossing household name, the singer is parting ways with legendary publicist Mary Lou Falcone.” [New York Observer]
“At some point, Met officialdom will have to recognize the continuing failures of the current arrangement, under which the titular artistic director of the company, James Levine, makes sure that he gets the singers he wants for his own performances and seems content to leave Mr. Friend to improvise the remainder of the season.” How […]
La Cieca is sure that at least a few of the cher public will want to tune in and sound off this evening as the Met broadcasts La boheme on Sirius and the online Listen Live. The Grigolity begins at 8:00 pm!
La Cieca (third from left) is delighted to announce to her cher public (also pictured) the first-ever East Coast Parterre Gathering , since, after all, we can’t let the West Coast chapter have all the fun! Your doyenne proposes an outing on Sunday, November 14. Details are after the jump.
La Cieca hears that Placido (“Simon Boccanegra is the only baritone role I’m interested in singing”) Domingo is going to expand his repertoire yet again, to Athanaël in Thaïs, sometime in 2012. The role after that, La Cieca hears, will be eponymous, but as of now the title is known to only a few chosen […]
Some people have a lot of clout around the opera house. For example, take that diva who protested a tenor scheduled to sing opposite her. Even though he’s just won glowing reviews, the company replaced him with a less daunting colleague. With the lucrative buyout money and unexpected gap in his schedule, our tenor was […]
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