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.
Bravo Monsieur (or Madame) 79CXR for your guess in the most recent Regie quiz. The work depicted is indeed Béatrice et Benedict, in a production for the Opéra Comique directed by Dan Jemmett. The staging, La Cieca regrets to say, was not taken in with pleasure; critiques are headlined everything from “The enterprise overall does […]
Forget all the others. You need to read this review of The Nose. [New York Observer]
If you feel like discussing the Sirius broadcast of Antony and Cleopatra, here’s the place.
New York City Opera has announced its 2010-2011 season, and it looks like La Cieca’s precognitions were about 90% correct. (Please, hold your applause.)
Our Own CruzSF has devised a delightful new pastime, which consists of posing in a parterre box t-shirt “in front of the great and not-so-great opera houses of the world.” First up: the Napa Valley Opera House. That’s after the jump.
La Cieca just received an email from Samuel Ramey confirming, “Yes, the comment is from me. Had no idea it would cause such a discussion.” (Photo: Ken Howard, Metropolitan Opera)
“The Met’s new production of ‘The Nose’ should be a hit with everyone except headline writers. Had the Shostakovich comedy bombed, they’d quip ‘Met blows nose’ or ‘Don’t pick this opera!’ But since this sassy, smart show is the highlight of the current opera season, they’ll have to settle for something like ‘Breath of fresh […]
So, who do you think said this? It is unfortunate that for the Met’s first production of ATTILA they could not do a more “conventional” production. The sets and the costumes had nothing to do with the period of the opera or the characters. I know from having been at rehearsals that the director gave […]
La Cieca hears that Glimmerglass Opera is about to announce the name of its next General Director. Shockingly, it’s neither an actual Brit nor someone currently associated with NYCO, ya know.
Dimitra Theodossiou “takes” a high E-flat at the end of Odabella’s cabaletta.
You know La Cieca wouldn’t miss the chance to host a chat on so rare an occasion as today’s Met broadcast of Attila. Of course, on the radio you won’t get a chance to experience the Miuccia Prada or Herzog & de Meuron contributions, but your doyenne is sure that fellow chatters (chatterers?) will be […]
The English tenor, specialist in the works of Benjamin Britten, died yesterday after a brief illness.
La Cieca may not at the moment comment on last night’s premiere of The Nose at the Met since Our Own JJ is working on his review of the piece today. But she wants to encourage the cher public to share their thoughts.
Here’s our dear Karita Mattila (left), currently occupied playing Émilie du Châtelet in the eponymous new opera by Kaija Saariaho.
In honor of National Procrastination Week La Cieca has a challenge for you, the cher public. If you’re anything like your doyenne (and she thinks at least some of you are in most important ways) you possess opera-related media that have been sitting on a shelf or wherever it is you stow your opera-related media […]
This just in from the Met: Marlis Petersen will sing the role of Ophélie in the first six performances of the Met’s new production of Thomas’s Hamlet, replacing Natalie Dessay who is ill.
La Cieca hopes all will be well. We must be patient; but I cannot choose but weep when I hear that soprano is going to cancel her appearances in that new Met production.
New York City Opera’s latest mailing invites the gays to “Learn to French!”
La Cieca hears that Barry Banks will go onstage at the Met shortly — tonight, in fact — jumping in as Almaviva for an ailing Lawrence Brownlee.
Franco Vassallo (right) will sing the role of Ezio in the last three performances of Attila at the Met (March 19, 22, and 27).
In promoting the Great Performances at the Met telecast of Turandot, the copywriter for Channel 13 seems to miss the point by about as wide a mark as possible without actually hitting another point.
Parterre fave Joyce DiDonato headlines an all-star performance of Le nozze di Figaro broadcast this afternoon from Lyric Opera of Chicago. [WFMT]
La Cieca is going to claim doyennical privilege here and say that the correct answers for last week’s Regie quiz are disqualified on grounds of a) silly guess and b) prior knowledge. Otherwise how could she go on with these Regie quizzes, knowing that such wildly unlikely images would immediately shout “Die Meistersinger” to you? […]
This afternoon’s broadcast of La bohème (beginning at 1:00 pm) is sure to provoke lots of commentary from the parterriani. Conductor: Marco Armiliato; Mimì: Anna Netrebko; Musetta: Nicole Cabell; Rodolfo: Piotr Beczala; Marcello: Gerald Finley; Schaunard: Massimo Cavalletti; Colline: Oren Gradus; Benoit/Alcindoro: Paul Plishka.
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