La Cieca
James Jorden (who writes under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") is the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he has written for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He has also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he has directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni, a work he hopes to return to someday. Currently he alternates his doyenne duties with writing a weekly column on opera for the New York Observer.
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“It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” said Met General Manager Peter Gelb.
By La Cieca
Thanks once again to our advertisers, who make free access to parterre box possible.
By La Cieca
In a busy flurry of Instagram posts earlier today, Anna Netrebko announced a temporary withdrawal from her performing career.
By La Cieca
The Met’s new season, including Medea with Sondra Radvanovsky, set parterrian tongues wagging during the month of February 2022.
By La Cieca
Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads Matthew Polenzani in the title role, Sonya Yoncheva as Élisabeth de Valois, Jamie Barton as Eboli, Etienne Dupuis as Rodrigue, Eric Owens as Philippe II and John Relyea as the Grand Inquisitor.
By La Cieca
Highlights showcase the Met’s most revered African American stars.
By La Cieca
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2022-2023 season will offer seven new productions including the world-premiere staging of The Hours and the company premieres of Champion and Medea.
By La Cieca
The celebrated Italian soprano died yesterday. She was 92.
By La Cieca
René Pape, the world’s reigning Boris, reprises his overwhelming portrayal of the tortured tsar in the original 1869 version of the opera.
By La Cieca
Tantalizing tenor Michael Fabiano adds a new role to his repertoire barely five weeks from today.
By La Cieca
A Willy Decker production, live from the Vienna State Opera.
By La Cieca
Performance from September 11, 2021. Yannick Nézet-Séguin; Ailyn Pérez, Michelle DeYoung, Matthew Polenzani, Eric Owens.
By La Cieca
“As for next year, Gheorghiu makes an as-yet-unannounced return for the first time in seven years to the Met in New York.”
By La Cieca
Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducts Asmik Grigorian, Boris Pinkhasovich, Brian Jagde and Josh Lovell.
By La Cieca
Historic moments from the 1930s and early 40s featuring stars such as Kirsten Flagstad, Lily Pons, Rosa Ponselle, Bidù Sayão, Jussi Bjoerling, Lauritz Melchior, Lawrence Tibbett, Leonard Warren, and Ezio Pinza
By La Cieca
On this day in 1959 soprano Leonie Rysanek made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lady Macbeth.
By La Cieca
“It was all surprisingly good? Even the Party Pork, which has you marinate a piece of pork neck in vermouth and steak seasoning. It shouldn’t work, and yet it did.”
By La Cieca
In honor of Black History Month, the Met rebroadcasts a 1984 performance.
By La Cieca
San Francisco Opera prepares to barge down the Nile.
By La Cieca
Signs of new life at the Met caught the attention of parterrians in January.
By La Cieca
“The design of the Met’s new production [of Lucia di Lammermoor] by Simon Stone suggests a present-day American Rust Belt, an area once prosperous but now fallen into decline and neglect.”
By La Cieca
