Dodging a bullet Dodging a bullet

Dull conducting makes Der Freischütz miss its mark at Carnegie Hall.

The scorned mother of us all The scorned mother of us all

Seeing Sondra Radvanovsky as Medea at Lyric Opera of Chicago sprawled across the floor, soaked in her children’s blood, is proof that we’re witnessing an utterly haunting singer-actor.

He plays the violin He plays the violin

This Bard production, led by Leon Botstein, makes the strongest possible case musically, dramatically and visually for Smetana’s opera Dalibor.

Sexual orientalization Sexual orientalization

An impressive cast blurs binaries as John Adams‘s ambitious Antony and Cleopatra arrives at the Met

A favorite Mozart performance from Bertrand Simon A favorite Mozart performance from Bertrand Simon

Instead of giving laurels to a performance already praised since a long time, my choice will be Don Giovanni, Metropolitan Opera, May 2023.

Dancing at the edge of the world Dancing at the edge of the world

Puccini’s schmaltziest, most melodic, most dramatically limp, most cynical, most obscure mature work

A fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes A fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes

It’s not hard not to feel jaded about Romeo and Juliet.

Nervous system theater Nervous system theater

Like a sommelier of male entitlement, Peter Mattei paired with precision moves from a wide-ranging vocabulary of gesture.

Hunger games Hunger games

Director Richard Jones’ well-traveled and visually arresting production of Humperdinck’s 1893 opera Hansel and Gretel has returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago after a 10-year absence.

Classic example: ‘Antony’ at SFO Classic example: ‘Antony’ at SFO

Antony and Cleopatra was an auspicious start to San Francisco Opera’s second century, a performance that seems to improve as I continue to think about it.

Ring my bell Ring my bell

The monsoon outside was no match for the torrents of gorgeous, dramatic singing and playing that was unleashed inside George Washington University’s Lisner Hall Sunday afternoon when Washington Concert Opera, in a glorious deluge of Léo Delibes, presented Lakmé to round out its return season.

On the edge of my seat On the edge of my seat

The San Francisco Opera became the first US opera company to present a full-blown production indoors on its home turf this season when they ushered the US opera audience into 2021-22 Season on Saturday September 21 with a stellar performance of Giacomo Puccini’s perennial favorite Tosca.

Grimm and proper Grimm and proper

Bring your family: This show is special! Such perfect opera is hard to find!

All I cared about was Bess All I cared about was Bess

Opera’s latest superstar, Angel Blue, in a compleat and enthralling portrayal, gloriously sung and rivetingly acted.

Strangers when we meet Strangers when we meet

The aphorisms projected before each act of Das Wunder der Heliane suggested the work concerns the transformative power of love—but does it really?

I had too much to dream last night I had too much to dream last night

Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt in a 1967 Vienna broadcast appropriately featuring three American stars: John Alexander, Marilyn Zschau, and George London.

Fifty shades of Grail Fifty shades of Grail

The Met’s magnificent revival which opened on Monday night with a superb cast under the mesmerizing leadership of Yannick Nézet-Séguin nearly converted me into a devoted Parsifal disciple.

Seriously? Right in front of Mycenae? Seriously? Right in front of Mycenae?

You’ve got your “Night in the Museum,”and your “It’s All In Her Head” and your “Pantomimes of Childhood Trauma” and that’s all before halftime.

Wer ein solches Weib errungen Wer ein solches Weib errungen

Opera at Caramoor rallied Sunday afternoon with an admirable if erratic performance of Fidelio which was especially memorable for South African soprano Elza van den Heever’s thrilling first-ever Leonore.

Light my foyer Light my foyer

Each year, Leon Botstein leads the American Symphony Orchestra in a concert opera or two.