It takes a woman
Suddenly in the middle of March 2019 the Metropolitan Opera realized that perhaps a few of the company’s multitudes of stagehands and technicians might be of the feminine persuasion.
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.
Al passato, ben vedete, ora è inutile pensar
Jonas Kaufmann demonstrates his current work ethic.
Broadcast: Aida
Let’s all sing “O terra addio” to the those crumbly styrofoam pharaoh toes.
Broadcast: Joyce DiDonato sings opera, jazz and tango!
Joyce DiDonato and her band fuse Italian Baroque bel canto classics, jazz ballads, and tunes from the Great American Songbook into one illuminating musical program.
Broadcast: La Fille du Régiment
The Met season’s final performance of the Donizetti romcom begins at 1:00 PM.
Our retrospection will now be all to the future
La Cieca is delighted to announce that the most popular posts for the month of February dealt primarily with the Met season yet to come.
And now a word from our sponsors
La Cieca and the gang down at parterre box extend our sincerest thanks to our angels whose largesse keeps our blog blogging: sponsors Carnegie Hall, Mirror Visions Ensemble and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
“The weight of this sad time we must obey”
If Glenda Jackson, who is 82 years old, can whip through King Lear in two hours and 45 minutes, then how is it that La Traviata at the Met slogs on for over three hours?
Knight fever
It’s an 8:00 PM curtain tonight for the Met’s Falstaff.
Whenever you cough
Ardent Angel Blue will jump into performances vacated by the collapsible Sonya Yoncheva at La Scala.
Broadcast: Karl V
A real novelty from the Bayerische Staatsoper this afternoon: Krenek’s Karl V.
Welcome to the Machine
Robert Lepage promises a more “urban” take on the work.
Multitudes of Annas: Your 2019-2020 Met Season Announcement
On New Years’ Eve 2019 the Met will offer a gala truly worthy of the name when Anna Netrebko sings acts from La bohème, Tosca and Turandot.
Coming soon: The Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-2020 season
The Metropolitan Opera will announce its 2109-2020 season (including the company premiere of Glass’s Akhnaten) at noon tomorrow (Wednesday.)
Bleeding of the eye
Congratulations to venerable Opera News on their new hire, art director Harvey Dent.
Oh the ombra of it all!
The expression “gayer than eight guys fucking nine guys” gets thrown around a lot these days…
Broadcast: Don Giovanni
That mysterious bass-baritone leads the cast in today’s Met matinee broadcast starting at 1:00 PM.
Sugar daddy day care
New York City Opera has announced the resignation of the chairman of its board, Roy G. Niederhoffer.
Broadcast: Andrea Chenier
Live from the Teatro Comunale di Modena.
Virtually capricious!
“El espectáculo que reviviría al Maria Callas en escenarios chilenos a través de hologramas fue definitivamente cancelado.”
The ‘roaring’ twenties
A week before the traditional date for the announcement of the Met’s 2019-2020 season, the clairvoyants who cobble together the Future Met Wiki have essentially the entire schedule ready for your perusal.
Broadcast: Rigoletto
The Met’s season premiere of Evviva Las Vegas.
Put your Dukes up
“Bryan Hymel has withdrawn from upcoming performances as the Duke in Verdi’s Rigoletto, due to personal reasons,” says the Met’s press office.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).