James Jorden

{{infobox writer

|name = James Jorden

|birth_name = James Glenn Jorden

|birth_date = {{birth date|1954|8|6}}

|birth_place = Opelousas, Louisiana, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2023|10|2|1954|8|6}}

|death_place = Sunnyside, Queens, New York, U.S.

|occupation = {{hlist|Blogger|journalist|editor}}

|subjects = Opera

|alma_mater = Louisiana State University

}}

James Glenn Jorden (August 6, 1954 – October 2, 2023) was an American blogger, journalist and music critic who wrote about opera. He was known for founding and editing the zine Parterre Box.

Background

James Glenn Jorden was born on August 6, 1954,{{cite news|last = Woolfe|first = Zachary|authorlink = Zachary Woolfe|title=The Bewitching Art of 'La Cieca'|url=https://observer.com/2009/07/the-bewitching-art-of-la-cieca/|accessdate=April 7, 2022|newspaper=The New York Observer|date=July 8, 2009}} in Opelousas, Louisiana, and developed an interest in opera from an early age. He attended Louisiana State University.{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/04/arts/music/james-jorden-dead.html|title = James Jorden, Creator of an Essential Opera Blog, Dies at 69|last = Woolfe|first = Zachary|authorlink = Zachary Woolfe|date = October 4, 2023|accessdate = October 4, 2023|newspaper = The New York Times|url-access = limited}}

Career

Some time after graduating college, Jorden moved to New York and sought work in the theater, including acting, directing, and teaching. In 1993, he founded Parterre Box, a zine which covers the topic of opera from a queer perspective; in 1996, he began publishing it online. Jorden's work with parterre box also includes a podcast, Unnatural Acts of Opera. Parterre Box and Jorden have been featured in numerous media publications, including Opera News magazine, The Advocate, and The New York Times.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/arts/music/parterre-box-25th-anniversary.html|title=How an Underground Queer Zine Became the Best Blog in Opera|author=Joshua Barone|work=The New York Times|date=December 13, 2018}} He also worked for a time as a web producer for Fox News.{{cite news|title=The Parterre Posse|url=http://observer.com/2001/01/the-parterre-posse/|accessdate=October 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Observer|date=January 29, 2001}} Until 2013, he was employed full-time as a legal secretary.

After 10 years as a reviewer for Gay City News, Jorden became opera critic for the New York Post in March 2009, succeeding Clive Barnes.{{cite web|url=http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=5278&issueID=336|title=Voice of the Opposition|author=Brian Kellow|author-link=Brian Kellow|work=Opera News|date=July 2009|volume=74|issue=1}} "Ruffling the Met's feathers – Parterre Box, a gay opera magazine". The Advocate, November 25, 1997 . Accessed via subscription January 18, 2008.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DC113EF934A15757C0A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print "You Go Diva!"], The New York Times, April 27, 1997. Accessed January 18, 2008. In the fall of 2014, Jorden left the Post to write about opera for The New York Observer.[http://observer.com/about/ About – Contributing Writers], The New York Observer. He also served as a commentator on the WQXR program Operavore.{{cite web|url=http://www.wqxr.org/#!/programs/operavore/about|title=WQXR – New York's Classical Music Radio Station|website=WQXR}}

Death

Jorden died at his home in Sunnyside, Queens, at the age of 69.[https://edwarddlynchfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/1794/James-Jorden/obituary.html#tribute-start James Glenn Jorden]