COMMANDOpera does not comment on the work or style of other new media venues which discuss Opera, however this singular exception will be made.
For a few years after the advent of the World Wide Web, there was virtually no where to go if one were inclined to the art form of Opera with the exception of one site known as Parterre. The site which was (and still is) unabashedly directed towards gays in New York owned a certain in your face gossipy style so very favoured by this crowd. Parterre’s readers consisted predominately of those particular effeminate men who loved to ape their sexuality in any outlandish form which suited the second in which they lived: thus Parterre fit perfectly within their scope. One has only to note the visage of La Cieca pictured above to underline and fully understand the obvious. Back in those days, these characteristics which catered specifically to Parterre’s readership did not resonate with this writer, yet there was no where else one might turn to at that time (this reader did tire early on with the incessantly overdone queenliness and deleted the link).
Things have changed since that time. Dramatically. There are now numerous new media venues which discuss the art form of Opera, and unfortunately virtually all of them are gossip in structure and intent in much the same manner as Parterre. However today there is one significant difference between all of them and Parterre: the writer of Parterre and alias of La Cieca, Mr. James Jordan is now the reviewer of Opera for the New York Post. Not a particularly high calling, yet one which allows Mr. Jordan unparalleled media access and tools at his disposal. Such an artillery would not only give Mr. Jordan, and subsequently Parterre advance information before all others, but also enable unparalleled fact checking of all articles which went live. What could have taken Parterre to the most significant plateau instead has been wasted. Nothing changed, and if anything, things got worse. Parterre remains the same gossip riven venue, only now, access exposes what should be kept timely and discreet, is now fodder for the baying readers of the venue who comment endlessly in the bitchiest and cattiest of terms to even the mealiest of articles. Unfortunately it would appear, there is something within which makes it impossible for some to rise and become better individuals. Perhaps it is the simple and old story of confidence or in this case lack thereof. Who knows?
COMMANDOpera finally gave up on the venue the other day when Parterre leaked in advance the new position of Miss Fleming with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Earlier in the year, Mr. Jordan leaked virtually the entire season of the Metropolitan before he was obliged by the theatre to remove the content. Although for some time out of respect to Parterre for simply being there all those years ago, what credit and regard COMMANDOpera felt towards the venue (and subsequently its author) has now definitively expired. This venue has spent a great deal of effort meeting with, speaking with and knowing personally a great many personages within the art form directly; the articles on this venue make that fact rather plain and obvious. Who of them has much use for Parterre: and which of them has any inclination to be bothered to do so? Parterre is a venue which is considered by the industry to be poisonous and not to be trusted. No wonder.
At the end of the day, a venue is compelled to maintain a level of interest with their readership by continually lifting them to a better place. If all that can be managed by a venue to achieve this is cheap, hysterical titillation, then so be it; ones limitations and inabilities as a writer and venue are sadly exposed. Nevertheless, there will always exist a core audience for such a constituency, which is fair enough. The decline of Parterre however as a relevant commentator on the art form of Opera, can no longer be questioned as other than a matter of fact.
3 Comments
You do make a serious error , I do not believe it ever has been thought of as relevant by any one who considers opera as a serious art form -never mind knowledge of the art of singing. When you wander there by accident you realize a mistake has been made and leave .
When I first read your posting, I did not think it was correct. But reading that particular blog and its comments over the past few days, I must come to the sad conclusion that there has indeed been a sad decline. A ridiculous party line, all sorts of illogical arguments in support of it, the setting up of straw men to knock them down so to speak, and all sorts of personal insult against people who express thoughts with some degree of logic.
Although one rarely add comments, yours is included solely because it reflected what most have written in. One mail in particular likened Parterre to a ‘gay chat room’ with all the noxious cliques one finds therein (and in this situation, the same 20 individuals who frequent the site commenting most diligently): I would not know of such places and will take that commentator’s word at face value. I will leave out other descriptives, however you now appreciate how very representative yours was. Nevertheless, the thrust of the article was about the decline of what could have been a most useful site.
I thank you and the others for taking the time to write on this topic.