Reviews

Robber barons Robber barons

A revival of the furious I masnadieri at the Bayerische Staatsoper falls short of perfection – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Old wife’s tale Old wife’s tale

Pénélope at the Bayerische Staatsoper’s summer festival spotlights the crossroads between the nostalgic and the progressive.

Sing of happy, not sad Sing of happy, not sad

Matthias Davids‘s reactionary new production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg might be fun, but no one comes to Bayreuth for fun.

Cask in the glory Cask in the glory

A North American debut of a respectable French Baroque ensemble, an ebullient presentation of La fille du régiment, and an afternoon soiree in Wine Country proved to be the hottest (yet affordable!) tickets around here this Summer.

Thane and suffering Thane and suffering

In the 1847 version of Macbeth, the forces of Teatro Nuovo lacked the thunderous punch this music can pack, but provided a pleasant ride

The gaul of some people The gaul of some people

It’s Norma, darling. We know.

Norma demente Norma demente

Jessica Pratt’s last-minute Norma in Milan might well be the stuff of legend

I’m never gonna dance again I’m never gonna dance again

A starry cast is hampered by Christof Loy‘s dour production of Rusalka in Barcelona

Sleepwalkers awake Sleepwalkers awake

La sonnambula at Teatro Nuovo overcomes uneven casting to highlight the many charms of Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece

Visible storage Visible storage

Performances of Pittori fiamminghi and Madama Butterfly in picturesque Castell’Arquato were a fine way to honor Luigi Illica, the city’s native son

The bodies keep score The bodies keep score

Music for New Bodies at Lincoln Center’s Running AMOC* Festival proves Matthew Aucoin really is everything he’s made out to be

Le nozze di Picasso Le nozze di Picasso

Wolf Trap Opera kicked off its summer season with an inventive production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro inspired by Pablo Picasso that showcased up-and-coming singers.

Canonically ossified Canonically ossified

When such a canonically ossified work like Verdi’s Aïda is directed at all (let alone as ambitiously as Damiano Michieletto at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino), it does feel like a completely different opera

There’s a parade in town There’s a parade in town

Les Brigands at the Paris Opera is an expensive joke that never lands

Now and at the hour of our death Now and at the hour of our death

This evening of Julius Eastman at Lincoln Center was so good it hurt

Changing habits Changing habits

A new production of Dialogues des Carmélites featuring Anna Caterina Antonacci proves that it’s hard to be an iconoclast in Venice.

Sing out strong Sing out strong

Pride weekend events at San Francisco Opera and Festival Opera are fabulous starts to the Bay Area summer

Pride before the fall Pride before the fall

Opera Parallèle’s Harvey Milk Reimagined offers a fragmented portrait lacking the depth or coherence needed to honor Milk’s legacy

The turning point The turning point

The Comet/Poppea at this summer’s Running AMOC* festival at Lincoln Center is a thrilling, startling, deeply moving experience

Turkish sound bath Turkish sound bath

A brilliant L’italiana in Algeri in Rome has Larry Wolff once again thinking about “singing Turks”

Up an Octavia Up an Octavia

The operatic offerings of Boston Early Music FestivalKeiser‘s Octavia and Telemann‘s Pimpinone and Ino — are delectable discoveries

New world charm New world charm

The Met Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin surges into summer with a mixed program at Carnegie Hall

They call me the wanderer They call me the wanderer

Kent Nagano‘s and the Richard-Wagner-Akademie‘s historically informed Ring Cycle takes on Siegfried in Dresden

All about her stepmother All about her stepmother

A new recording by the London Symphony Orchestra is the latest landmark in a spring full of Janácek‘s Jenufa