Es gibt ein Reich (jenseits von Manhattan) Es gibt ein Reich (jenseits von Manhattan)

The Bronx Opera‘s Ariadnes auf Naxos is well worth the subway ride. Plus, two strong premieres at the Brooklyn Art Song Society.

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.

Nearly there Nearly there

On Site Opera’s Turn of the Screw, an immersive production set in the Bronx’s Wave Hill Gardens, featured mostly good singing and a few directorial and technological missteps.

Change the world – I want to get off Change the world – I want to get off

A dozen women or more talk and sing about all sort of important and exciting things, with “a man” near the bottom of their list of priorities.

Sea, no evil Sea, no evil

Breaking the Waves is not only a “real opera,” it is an immensely powerful work of music drama.

Britten on the wind Britten on the wind

Ambiguity. That’s the theme of the operas of Benjamin Britten (ennobled as Baron Britten of Aldeburgh).

Deliberate cruelty is unforgivable Deliberate cruelty is unforgivable

André Previn‘s A Streetcar Named Desire, with the “People’s Diva” herself in the iconic role of the unstable Blanche DuBois.

Bly spirit Bly spirit

In any narrative, the unmentioned—the unmentionable—will always be more alarming than that which is carefully described.

the young and the de young

Our Own Sanford reports from this afternoon’s National Council Grand Finals Concert at the Met. First things first: No hunkentenors, but Edward Parks is a barihunk, and Christopher Magiera is almost a barihunk. Now to the important stuff. There were nine singers in the final, and I would say that 10 of them deserved to…