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.
Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Ildar Abdrazakov, conducted by Marco Armiliato. From February 7, 2009.
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.
Jean-Joseph de Mondonville‘s 1753 pastorale héroïque, performed live at the Opéra Comique.
Starring Anita Hartig, Anita Rachvelishvili, Aleksandrs Antonenko, and Ildar Abdrazakov, conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado. From November 1, 2014.
Renée Fleming, Emily Magee, Dolora Zajick, Piotr Beczala and John Relyea, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. From February 8, 2014.
Ingo Metzmacher conducts Agneta Eichenholz, Bo Skovhus, Charles Workman, Angela Denoke and Franz Grundheber.
Starring Renée Fleming, Stephanie Blythe, Andreas Scholl, Iestyn Davies, Joseph Kaiser, and Shenyang, conducted by Harry Bicket. From December 3, 2011.
Performance from January 18, 2020: Karel Mark Chichon; Aleksandra Kurzak (Violetta Valéry), Dmytro Popov (Alfredo Germont), Quinn Kelsey (Giorgio Germont).
Starring Renée Fleming, Sarah Connolly, Joseph Kaiser, Russell Braun, Morten Frank Larsen, and Peter Rose, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. From April 23, 2011.
From the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Michele Gamba conducts Cesare Lievi‘s production with Jessica Pratt, Francesco Demuro and Michele Pertusi.
Starring Renée Fleming, Lawrence Brownlee, Barry Banks, John Osborn and Kobie van Rensburg, conducted by Riccardo Frizza. From May 1, 2010.
Starring Renée Fleming, Christine Schäfer, Susan Graham, Eric Cutler, Thomas Allen, and Kristinn Sigmundsson, conducted by Edo de Waart. From January 9, 2010.
Adam Fischer leads Christian Franz, Linda Watson, Eric Halfvarson and Jochen Schmeckenbecher.
Starring Renée Fleming, Michael Schade, and Thomas Hampson, conducted by Jesús López-Cobos. From December 20, 2008.
From the Vienna State Opera, 2016.
The Met’s new “All Renée All the Time” format kicks off with a performance from November 11, 1998 starring Herself, Cecilia Bartoli, Susanne Mentzer, Dwayne Croft, and Bryn Terfel, conducted by James Levine.
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Stefan Kocán, conducted by Marco Armiliato. From April 30, 2011.
From the Vienna State Opera: Adam Fischer conducts Christian Franz, Linda Watson, Tomasz Konieczny, Herwig Pecoraro and Jochen Schmeckenbecher.
Starring Elza van den Heever, Joyce DiDonato, Matthew Polenzani, Joshua Hopkins, and Matthew Rose, conducted by Maurizio Benini. From January 19, 2013.
Performance from April 26, 2007. Maurizio Benini; Joyce DiDonato (Rosina), Claudia Waite (Berta), Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva), Russell Braun (Figaro), John Del Carlo (Dr. Bartolo), Samuel Ramey (Don Basilio).
Starring Eva-Maria Westbroek, Jane Bunnell, Marcelo Álvarez, George Gagnidze; Patricia Racette, Marcelo Álvarez, George Gagnidze, and Lucas Meachem, conducted by Fabio Luisi. From April 25, 2015.
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Evelyn Lear.
Duelling events tonight:
Adam Fischer leads Christopher Ventris, Ain Anger, Waltraud Meier, Linda Watson and Tomasz Konieczny.
Starring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Nicolas Testé, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. From January 16, 2016.
A Baroque Valentine’s with Opera Lafayette | Feb | DC & NYC
Celebrate love in all its guises with tender ballads, amorous duets, cheeky verses, and bawdy drinking songs plus food, cocktails and wine.
