Reviews

Force of habit Force of habit

Turmoil and injustice in the federal government; turmoil and grief in the Catholic Church: the time sure seems right for a staging of Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites.

Ritorna vincitrice Ritorna vincitrice

Elina Garanca is back at the Met for the first time since 2020 — her Amneris is, in a word, sensational.

Momentum mori Momentum mori

A fine Don Giovanni at Opera Philadelphia rounds out the company’s inaugural season under Anthony Roth Costanzo

A masked ball A masked ball

Opera San José (OSJ) concluded its eclectic 41st Season with another first, Héctor Armienta’s Zorro, which received its Northern California premiere at the California Theatre on Friday, April 19th.

Sex power god Sex power god

Breaking the Waves and Tannhaüser at Houston Grand Opera are a can’t-miss doubleheader of sex and miracles.

Smash or pass Smash or pass

The long-awaited Broadway musical adaptation of the NBC series Smash is “not Bombshell – it’s just a bomb,” according to David Fox and Cameron Kelsall.

Bye bye, birdie Bye bye, birdie

A feast of whimsy for the recently resurrected in Aaron Siegel’s new opera, Rainbird

Fractured féerie tales Fractured féerie tales

Félix Fourdrain‘s “féerie” Les Contes de Perrault by the Frivolités Parisiennes is as fun for adults as it is for children

Brain Wurm Brain Wurm

By the time the curtain rose on Verdi’s Luisa Miller last Sunday in Washington Concert Opera’s final show of the season, the originally announced line-up was about as accurate as a federal agency org chart from February.

I love the flower girl I love the flower girl

It began with charming modesty.

C’est une vraie voix C’est une vraie voix

Don Carlos returns to the Opéra National de Paris and it’s an unusually happy occasion

Humdrum existence Humdrum existence

Missy Mazzoli has established herself as one of contemporary opera’s most skilled and subtle architects of emotional response, and her latest, The Listeners—now at the Lyric Opera of Chicago—is no exception.

Happiness indeed Happiness indeed

The nail-biting adventures of Voltaire’s titular hero Candide are hardly more circuitous than those faced by Leonard Bernstein’s 1956 Broadway musical adaptation.

Pennies from heaven Pennies from heaven

BAM is back!

Like the poem said by a lady in red Like the poem said by a lady in red

Boop! The Musical arrives on Broadway with plenty of colorful glitz, glamour, and talent with an empowering message for women to find their inner confidence to succeed and lead

Seville servants Seville servants

A muted and merry carousel ride out of feudalism in the Met’s production of Le nozze di Figaro

Povera <em>Butterfly</em> Povera <em>Butterfly</em>

A parade of young singers delight in an intimate Madama Butterfly at Amore Opera

Sick and tired Sick and tired

Before this weekend, I never thought I would want to leave an opera by Act I. The recent production of Puccini’s La bohème at the Lyric Opera of Chicago taught me that there’s a first time for everything.

Monsoon wedding Monsoon wedding

IN Series concluded its exploration of the works of Claudio Monteverdi with a production of the composer’s final opera, L’incoronazione di Poppea, performed with the addition of Indian music and dance.

Selvaggia e aspra e forte Selvaggia e aspra e forte

Pascal Dusapin‘s dynamic and demanding traversal of Dante‘s Commedia arrives at the Paris Opera

Born to command Born to command

Audacious star performances elevate safe direction in Richard II and The Seagull on London’s West End

This magic moment This magic moment

Look, for one of the most-staged operas in the repertoire, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte seems awfully difficult to stage.

Haircut and paste Haircut and paste

Back to Rameau again this week with Samson at the Opéra Comique, my third Rameau production in as little as three months, after Les Fêtes d’Hébé in the same house, and Castor et Pollux at the Palais Garnier.

Blue Saturday Blue Saturday

A grand concert from Angel Blue has Patrick Mack wondering, “where’s her crossover album?”