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.
A performance from the Vienna State Opera featuring Carlos Álvarez, Dorothea Röschmann and Adam Plachetka.
The third segment of Der Ring des Nibelungen takes to the interwebs tonight.
From the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Asmik Grigorian stars as Cio-Cio-San.
On this day in 1964 the Jule Styne–Bob Merrill musical Funny Girl opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, to run 1,348 performances.
The second part of the Ring as documented at the Met in 2011.
Mascagni’s bizarre japonaiserie opera features Sonya Yoncheva.
Born on this day in 1910 soprano Magda Olivero.
Revisit our old friend The Machine from the Met’s early teens Ring cycle, beginning tonight with Das Rheingold.
A midcentury Met-adjacent cast belts out Ponchielli.
Born on this day in 1808 soprano Maria Malibran.
Wagner’s music drama in the Met’s 2016 production.
This afternoon, a 2019 Puccini performance featuring Sondra Radvanovsky, Piotr Beczala and Thomas Hampson.
Another classic Met Live in HD performance, starring Renée Fleming, Ramón Vargas, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
A 1983 concert performance at Carnegie Hall with June Anderson, Marilyn Horne and Samuel Ramey; Henry Lewis conducting.
Born on this day in 1912 soprano Martha Mödl.
Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala head the cast in this 2009 performance.
A leap back in time to 2014 for a Met broadcast of La Cenerentola.
Cherubini’s tragedy as performed at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
Tonight’s subject for discussion: Verdi’s La Traviata, starring Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Flórez, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin (not pictured) on the podium.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Metropolitan Opera announced today that the company has canceled the remainder of the 2019–20 season, which was to have ended on May 9, 2020.
This afternoon’s chat focuses on Bellini’s La Sonnambula with Anna Moffo (San Francisco 1960.)
On this day in 1859 Charles Gounod’s Faust premiered in Paris.
A 1960s All-Star team for Verdi’s Il Trovatore broadcast from the Teatro Colón with Leontyne Price, Fiorenza Cossotto, Carlo Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli and, of course, Ivo Vinco.
Born on this day in 1844 composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
