Patrick Clement James

Patrick Clement James is from Woodstown, New Jersey. His creative writing has appeared in Meridian, Ninth Letter, AGNI, PANK, and other journals. His scholarship has appeared in Rhetoric Society Quarterly and NANO. His essay “Six Essays for Six Works of Art” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and named a notable essay in The Best American Essays 2019. His research has received awards from CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Rhetoric Society of America. He teaches writing at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Foolish love Foolish love

The Met ushers out this wretched year and rings in the new with an elegant and effective new production of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.

Conversion narrative Conversion narrative

Blood-and-guts singing is the reason to see Nabucco at the Metropolitan Opera this season.

Mourning glory Mourning glory

I can think of no other role that provides the most unique promise of humiliation, and consequently the most opportunity for glory.

Chanson d’amour Chanson d’amour

Much like Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, which launched the Met’s 2016-2017 season, Kaija Saariaho’s L’Amour de Loin is an opera about love and death.

Flight of fancy Flight of fancy

Jonathan Dove’s Flight is an opera that makes excellent use of setting.

Gone girl Gone girl

Anna Netrebko‘s Manon was deeply unforgettable for its wide scope, control, and incredible virtuosity.

Search for Tamara Search for Tamara

The 2016 Richard Tucker Award recipient is Tamara Wilson.

Rock, star Rock, star

The centerpiece of Janácek’s Jenufa was the performance of Karita Mattila as the murderous Kostelnicka.

Heart in darkness Heart in darkness

>The Crypt Sessions, in collaboration with On Site Opera, presented the world premiere of Gregg Kallor’s The Tell-Tale Heart

Mark, missed Mark, missed

Thoughtless direction stifled the epic drama.

Period piece Period piece

Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s production of L’Italiana in Algeri for the Met remains steadfastly ignorant of postcolonial theory.

No view from the bridge No view from the bridge

Mariusz Trelinski unveiled a rather gloomy, though musically satisfying, Tristan und Isolde.

Guilt and pleasure Guilt and pleasure

Ambivalent is how I feel about Cosí fan tutte.

Can’t buy me love Can’t buy me love

dell’ arte Opera Ensemble continued its exploration of love and money by mounting Massenet’s Manon

Bridging the gap Bridging the gap

On Saturday night, dell’ arte Opera Ensemble presented a lean performance of La Traviata.

Amateur hour Amateur hour

Florence Foster Jenkins, a new film directed by Stephen Frears, celebrates a true amateur.

Old west side story Old west side story

While composed within a European style, La Fanciulla del West is an opera that manages to present a distinctly American experience.

Drunk in love Drunk in love

According to my taste, Die Fledermaus is an intoxicating opera

The singer’s art The singer’s art

Call me old fashioned, but when I go to the opera, I go to hear beautiful singing.

Imagined possibilities Imagined possibilities

The opera Patience and Sarah is a fantastic example of radical creativity.

Rolling on the river Rolling on the river

Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas at NYCO charts the emotional trajectory of seven characters aboard a ship called the El Dorado.

Bleeding love Bleeding love

I have always wanted to see a production of Strauss’ Elektra that made my ears bleed.

One ringy-dingy One ringy-dingy

Opera Upper West recently tweeted an unfortunate picture of me.

There ought to be clowns There ought to be clowns

Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of listening to someone tell a joke badly?