Reviews

That time of evening That time of evening

Golda Schultz soldiers through illness at the New York Philharmonic.

Heaven, here within my heart Heaven, here within my heart

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra explores love and death in an intense, intelligent program featuring soprano Corinne Winters.

Rose to the occasion Rose to the occasion

The embattled Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra bring Adams and Dvorák to Carnegie Hall.

Seder play Seder play

A new DVD recording of La Juive boasts considerable musical strengths in spite of a frustrating production.

Where imitation ends Where imitation ends
Daring reimaginings of Cocteau and Wilde take the stage at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Darkling I listen Darkling I listen

Golda Schultz casts darkness in an alluring light in an intimate recital at the New Orleans Opera Festival.

A specter, haunting A specter, haunting

Kaija Saariaho’s spectral, shattering Innocence makes its Metropolitan Opera debut.

Festspiel for the consecration of the French Quarter Festspiel for the consecration of the French Quarter

The inaugural New Orleans Opera Festival goes big across the Big Easy.

Cavalcade of stars Cavalcade of stars

Back-to-back casts in the Metropolitan Opera’s revivals of Madama Butterfly and La traviata offer ample opportunity for soprano-gazing.

Asp and you shall receive Asp and you shall receive

A first-time operagoer is lured to Thaïs at Opera Idaho by the promise of a new experience… and Neil, the Burmese python

Youth has no age Youth has no age

Led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Yoann Combémorel, the Curtis Symphony Orchestra proves themselves the equal of any major American orchestra in a program of Mahler, Wagner, and Dawson.

Anime sante degli avi Anime sante degli avi

Madama Butterfly confronts anime, virtual reality, and weeaboos in Matthew Ozawa‘s bold production at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Hit me with your best Shoshty Hit me with your best Shoshty

Barrie Kosky’s zany production of The Nose time-steps back onto the Komische Oper Berlin stage.

Suffering a sea-change Suffering a sea-change

Calixto Bieito‘s production of Idomeneo at La Monnaie is anchored by a committed cast, but gets swept up in pseudo-psychoanalytic imagery — and foot fetishism.

Which witch? Which witch?

Washington National Opera offered a searing production of Robert Ward’s opera The Crucible, directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, as the second installment in the company’s next chapter.

Follow the signs Follow the signs

Opera directors could learn a thing or two from Deaf Broadway’s vivacious performance of Jeanine Tesori‘s Violet.

Gild the Lily Gild the Lily

Lisette Oropesa, Piotr Buszewski, and Luca Salsi feature in a rote revival of Michael Mayer‘s cloying production of La traviata.

Death becomes her and him Death becomes her and him

El último sueño de Frida y Diego at the Lyric Opera of Chicago is a visual and sonic wonder, but a weak libretto dampens its effect.

By the (little red) book By the (little red) book

Kent Nagano gives a boost to the Opéra national de Paris‘s revival of Nixon in China.

Rags to riches Rags to riches

In its first production since departing the Kennedy Center, the Washington National Opera presents a new adaptation of “King of Ragtime” Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha.

The company of wolves The company of wolves

Matthias Pintscher’s Nuit sans aube at the Opéra Comique conjures up plenty of atmosphere — but not much else.

By spirit alone By spirit alone

A sublime Reginald Mobley and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra are a balm for troubled times in a program of baroque selections and spirituals.

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam

Washington Concert Opera returned to its roots with a delightful performance of Georges Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de perles.

An embarrassment of riches An embarrassment of riches

A David Lang premiere at the New York Philharmonic brings a wealth of musical delights — and bodes well for Gustavo Dudamel‘s leadership.