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.
Starring Anita Hartig, Anita Rachvelishvili, Aleksandrs Antonenko and Ildar Abdrazakov; conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado. Transmitted live on November 1, 2014.
“Echoing the twilight and melancholy pages of the score, director Tobias Kratzer draws on gothic and contemporary imagery from film and television.”
Starring Andrey Popov, Alexander Lewis and Paulo Szot; conducted by Pavel Smelkov. Transmitted live on October 26, 2013.
Opening tonight at the Teatro Real in Madrid, a staged but socially distanced version of La traviata.
Lisette Oropesa, Javier Camarena and Artur Rucinski star in this performance from the Teatro Real, Madrid.
June on parterre box was a month of Egyptian sun gods and some very enthusiastic video watching.
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris and Kurt Moll; conducted by James Levine. From April 8, 1989 at the Metropolitan Opera.
Born on this day in 1917 songstress and activist Lena Horne.
Starring Pretty Yende, Stephanie Blythe, Kathleen Turner, Javier Camarena, and Maurizio Muraro; conducted by Enrique Mazzola. Transmitted live on March 2, 2019.
A streaming performance of Bellini’s melodrama from the Staatsoper Stuttgart.
Starring Golda Schultz, Kathryn Lewek, Charles Castronovo, Markus Werba, Christian Van Horn and René Pape; conducted by James Levine. Transmitted live on October 14, 2017.
Kristine Opolais and Jonas Kaufmann star in this telecast from the Bayerische Staatsoper on July 31, 2015.
Starring Kathleen Kim, Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote and Stephanie Blythe; conducted by Bertrand de Billy. Transmitted live on April 28, 2018.
Christian Thielemann conducts Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Tomasz Konieczny, Georg Zeppenfeld and Evelyn Herlitzius.
Starring Kathleen Battle, Luciano Pavarotti, Juan Pons and Enzo Dara; conducted by James Levine. Transmitted live on November 16, 1991.
Which company plans to rescue opera, or at least their abbreviated season for 2020-2021, by programming a complete work for their opening night…
A Masterclass conversation-performance between Elena Park, composer and National Sawdust co-founder Paola Prestini and the Beverly Sills Award-winning mezzo-soprano and outspoken gay rights and body-positivity activist Jamie Barton.
Starring Lisette Oropesa, Michael Fabiano and Artur Rucinski; conducted by Maurizio Benini. Transmitted live on October 26, 2019.
Songs by Puccini, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff.
Conducted by Sir Mark Elder; starring Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna. Transmitted live on October 20, 2018.
Juan Diego Flórez and Luca Pisaroni star in this performance recorded at the Vienna State Opera on January 13, 2017.
Conducted by Alan Gilbert; starring Sasha Cooke, Thomas Glenn, Gerald Finley, Richard Paul Fink and Eric Owens. Transmitted live on November 8, 2008.
This series of concerts offered role debuts (of a kind) for Anna Netrebko as Elisabetta and Yusif Eyvazov as Carlo.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin discusses The MET Orchestra and welcomes guests Angel Blue, Renée Fleming, Thomas Lausmann, Missy Mazzoli, Donald Palumbo and Ailyn Pérez.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
