French revolution French revolution

Benjamin Bernheim opens up to Emma Hoffman about what really makes a French tenor ahead of his New York recital debut.

Avant de quitter la scène Avant de quitter la scène

As of late, the Bay Area has been blessed with a few high-wattage, high-profile recitals as if to compensate for the chilly temperatures and gloomy weather. Roughly a month after Lise Davidsen made an ebullient debut at Cal Performances, the Bay Area welcomed French soprano Natalie Dessay last Saturday.

Conductors for the ages Conductors for the ages

In Munich, performances by 97-year-old Herbert Blomstedt and 32-year-old Thomas Guggeis show the city’s orchestral ensembles at their best

Mixte blessings Mixte blessings

I was just moderately excited when LA Opera announced that French tenor Benjamin Bernheim would be coming to concertize at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, 90210.

A delightful one A delightful one

On this ray in 1932, soprano Göta Ljungberg made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.

An opalescent wonder An opalescent wonder

In a lovingly curated program of art songs, Ying Fang and the pianist Myra Huang presented pieces hailing from four different national traditions.

Round Table discussion Round Table discussion

Like many composers of his generation, Ernest Chausson was enthralled by Wagner and he too turned to legend for his only opera, one that would consume him for final decade of his brief life.

Der Meisterdirigent Der Meisterdirigent

Christian Thielemann is widely regarded as our time’s preeminent master of the Austro-German symphonic ensemble.

Apparition Apparition

There was a moment during Natalie Dessay’s performance of Schubert’s “Gretchen am Spinnrade” when the singer summoned the ghost of her former self.

Song of the lark Song of the lark

Our Own Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin presents Natalie Dessay in recital.