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.
Heading the cast of this Irish National Opera production is mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught.
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Marc Albrecht leads Wagner’s early grand opera, recorded June 22 at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Budapest.
From the Staatsoper Berlin, Anja Kampe sings Minnie, Marcelo Álvarez is the bandit Dick Johnson and Michael Volle plays Jack Rance. Massimo Zanetti conducts.
The cast includes Toby Spence in the title role and Katerina Karnéus as Kundry and the Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North are conducted by Richard Farnes.
In a slow month for opera, parterre box readers turned their attention to a musical: Into the Woods.
In this video from 2015, soprano Lisette Oropesa makes her role debut as Violetta in a new production of Verdi’s La traviata at the Academy of Music.
Baritone-turned-tenor SeokJong Baek and superstar mezzo Elina Garanca take the title roles in Richard Jones‘s new production of Saint-Saëns’s biblical opera.
A new production of Puccini’s lyric drama is conducted by Zubin Mehta and directed by Philipp Stölzl.
Ermonela Jaho and Ludovic Tézier are featured in a performance recorded at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées à Paris.
Quinn Kelsey gives a commanding performance in the title role, alongside Erin Morley as Gilda and Stephen Costello as the Duke of Mantua.
Live from La Scala, Ponchielli’s melodrama featuring Saioa Hernández, Daniela Barcellona, Erwin Schrott, Anna Maria Chiuri, Fabio Sartori Stefano La Colla and Roberto Frontali, conducted by Frédéric Chaslin.
Allan Clayton stars as Shakespeare’s tortured Dane, alongside Brenda Rae as Ophelia, Sarah Connolly as Gertrude, Rod Gilfry as Claudius, and John Relyea as the ghost of Hamlet’s father.
A very political month indeed focused sharply on the Met’s revival of Turandot.
Maestro Susanna Mälkki (not pictured) leads Stravinsky’s ingenious neoclassical satire.
Happy 51st birthday to Broadway and soundtrack diva Idina Menzel.
Karen Kamensek conducts Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten), Rihab Chaieb (Nefertiti), Zachary James (Amenhotep III), Disella Lárusdóttir (Queen Tye), Aaron Blake (High Priest of Amon), Richard Bernstein (Aye), Will Liverman (Horemhab)
Eleonora Buratto, fresh off a successful run in the title role of Madama Butterfly, stars as the ill-fated seamstress Mimì, opposite Matthew Polenzani as her lover, the poet Rodolfo.
Riccardo Frizza conducts Nadine Sierra (Lucia), Javier Camarena (Edgardo), Artur Rucinski (Enrico) and Christian Van Horn (Raimondo.)
An evening with Finland’s most famous opera star.
Brett Dean‘s operatic treatment of the Bard makes its Metropolitan Opera premiere.
The beloved concert and opera singer died earlier today.
Tenor Yusif Eyvazov, who was scheduled to sing Rodolfo in the upcoming four performances of Puccini’s La bohème, is ill and has withdrawn.
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