After debuting the tour in the Bay Area and before arriving at Carnegie Hall, I was lucky enough to catch them in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.

I’m no Baroque-opera expert, and only after buying a ticket did I discover the runtime: three hours and fifty-five minutes, in concert form no less. I feared my stamina was about to be tested.

My worries turned out to be completely unfounded. Those four hours sped by, proving how an opera with minimal staging – no sets, no elaborate theatrics, just artists on a stage – can still tell a gripping, emotionally rich story.

The entire cast was excellent, and the singer who resonated most deeply with me was mezzo Beth Taylor, whom I hope to hear again soon.