To be a poet is a condition To be a poet is a condition

Are today’s stars enough to sustain Andrea Chénier?

Marriage is what brings us together today Marriage is what brings us together today

Le nozze di Figaro in Santa Fe is a light and kindly revival while The Turn of the Screw is crisp and atmospheric

Seville servants Seville servants

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

Non son l’umile ancella Non son l’umile ancella

“[W]omen are interesting and important in real life. They are not an afterthought of nature, they are not secondary players in human destiny, and every society has always known that.” — Margaret Atwood, February 2017

Decadent genealogies Decadent genealogies

Arnold Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder and Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot are, in their different ways, the final decadent flowering of a musical tradition at its twilight.

Crazy extremes Crazy extremes

Simon McBurney’s Die Zauberflöte, the second new production of the Met’s May Mozart Miracle, opened on Friday to rousing near-unanimous cheers.

A study in simplicity and profundity A study in simplicity and profundity

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays” – Soren Kierkegaard

Love me or leaf me Love me or leaf me

Robert Carsen‘s legendary production of Eugene Onegin finally arrives in San Francisco.

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.

Desert island diva Desert island diva

This sterling revival shows the Metropolitan to be surviving well and in good shape.

Unequal tooning Unequal tooning

There is sensory overload, and very little humanity.

Every snarl and shimmer Every snarl and shimmer

Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra reigned supreme at the opening night of Wozzeck on Friday evening, rendering every snarl and shimmer of Berg’s score with gripping intensity.

Miss me blond Miss me blond

From the technical standpoint San Francisco Opera’s Billy Budd was pretty much flawless.

Dream a little ‘Dream’ Dream a little ‘Dream’

It may have taken 28 years to see Robert Carsen’s production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the U. S., but it was worth waiting for.

Just add magic Just add magic

Heretofore I’d avoided the Met’s abridged, English-language holiday presentations.

Quantum leap Quantum leap

Like Julius Caesar before her, Anna Netrebko can rightly proclaim “Veni vidi vici” about her decisive Roman victory at the Metropolitan Opera where she took on her first-ever Tosca.

E avanti a lui russava tutta Roma E avanti a lui russava tutta Roma

The Met got exactly what it asked for: a safely opulent, resolutely unchallenging Tosca that was far from shabby or little but couldn’t have been less shocking

The gala lilies are in bloom again The gala lilies are in bloom again

Saturday night the Los Angeles Opera threw itself a party.

Comedy on the Calais Coach Comedy on the Calais Coach

Friday night Music Director James Conlon sold Die Entfürhung aus dem Serial to a tony crowd of Angelenos. 

Cold Turkey Cold Turkey

The no-star, slapstick revival of John Dexter’s 37-year-old production of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail that opened Friday night proved James Levine’s tenure as Music Director of the Met will end in two weeks with neither a whimper nor a bang.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one Stop me if you’ve heard this one

Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and a slew of their members of court are hanging out in the afterlife…

Hell on wheels Hell on wheels

Absent from Chicago Lyric Opera’s repertory for 21 years, Alban Berg’s Wozzeck came roaring into town on Sunday afternoon in a stunning new production by Sir David McVicar.

Fifty shades of Domingo Fifty shades of Domingo

LA Opera opened their 30th season with a pairing of two of their most popular productions, both of which were initially staged by filmmakers not unfamiliar with the vagaries of our industry outpost here in Hollywoodland.

Drop dead diva Drop dead diva

My first experience with John Corigliano’s music was in high school with the ear and mind blowing score he wrote for Ken Russell’s film Altered States.