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.
Ardent, astonishing, animated Anthony Roth Costanzo has just unveiled the music video for “Vivi, tiranno.”
What it boils down to is the author flaunting his anti-racist bona fides by mocking Anna Netrebko based on her national origin.
According to Francophobe Norman Lebrecht, the ex-con plans to attend an opera about cannibalism.
Ryan Speedo Green will sing Colline in tonight’s performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.
She’s everything that every girl should be!
“What emerges from this handsome but sentimental film is a portrait of the artist in decline, cocooning herself in defensive victimhood.
A live telecast of Die Tote Stadt from the Berlin Komische Oper!
Come back to Kohl Mountain with Anita Rachvelishvili as well as the aforementioned Anna Netrebko in a live web broadcast of Aida from the Met Tuesday night at 7:25.
The Met’s new production of Samson et Dalila (not pictured) grabbed the most attention last month.
Our Own JJ (not pictured) is a feeling a bit tuckered by the whirlwind of the Met’s opening week, so “parterre saturday afternoon” is pre-empted today.
La Cieca has just heard that Kristian Benedikt is singing the role of Samson at the Met this evening.
How Glucky can you get?
Where will the elite meet? Why, at the Met for the opening night premiere of Samson et Dalila, of course!
What do the cher public want to hear this fall? According to last week’s polls, Samson et Dalila and Jonas Kaufmann.
Legendary diva Joan Sutherland in her “breakthrough” year of 1961: a live performance of I puritani from Palermo in 1961.
“To be fair I think it was only on one screen. . . . And more importantly I’ve seen it and it’s terrible.”
A “spy” unaffiliated with parterre box whispers to La Cieca that yesterday’s dress rehearsal of Samson et Dalila at the Met was sung by Nancy Fabiola Herrera.
“Due to illness, Bryan Hymel will be replaced by Yosep Kang in the role of Raoul de Nangis.”
A gaggle of our parterre critics (not pictured) had what the kids call a “kiki” recently and “spilled the tea” (as the middle-aged folks say) about their greatest expectations for the New York fall season.
parterre saturday afternoon presents Leyla Gencer in an opera she really should have done far more often, Verdi’s Macbeth.
Yet once more again Peter Gelb has done the impossible: starting in the 2019-2020 season the Met will offer regular Sunday matinees. And the season will extend into early June!
Prima donnas Reneé Fleming and Julianne Moore demonstrate the philosophizing skills for which sopranos are famous.
America’s diva Renée Fleming belts out “Plus blanche que la blanche hermine.”
A rare if not downright practically nonexistent live recording of Shirley Verrett‘s Amneris is but one of the highlights of today’s parterre saturday afternoon, starting at 2:00 PM.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
