Which side story? Which side story?

Vivacious performances outweigh a host of odd directorial choices in the Washington National Opera‘s
West Side Story

They do the sand dance, don’t you know? They do the sand dance, don’t you know?

Akhnaten has lost none of its power or glitz at the Los Angeles Opera.

It all began tonight It all began tonight

West Side Story opened LA Opera’s 40th anniversary season with fury and flair

Some old and then some new tricks Some old and then some new tricks

David Fox and Cameron Kelsall take on a new revival of Gypsy: Is there any gayer or more impassioned theater topic?

For so our master said For so our master said

Ah, that Bernstein dichotomy.

Midwest Side Story Midwest Side Story

Lyric Opera of Chicago has brought back its wildly successful 2019 production of West Side Story, directed by Francesca Zambello.  I thought it was terrific back then and, even with numerous cast changes, it was just as terrific on Sunday afternoon.

Ghost “Story” Ghost “Story”

Time to stop being coy, I think. You and I had quite different takeaways on the show, didn’t we?

Nothing’s gonna charm you

Even the hit songs in this early Jule Styne musical would recede in a better show.

Lakeside story Lakeside story

In our current political climate with issues of immigration, tribalism, and white nationalists, the 1957 musical West Side Story has a distinctly contemporary feel.

The opposite Sox The opposite Sox

Joel Puckett and Minnesota Opera hit it out of the park.

Lakeside ‘Story’ Lakeside ‘Story’

Sunny, lakeside Cooperstown presents a peppy, exuberant, winning production of West Side Story, the musical.

It’s about this town It’s about this town

L.A. Opera offered an inspired concert staging of Leonard Bernstein’s musical-comedy bouquet to New York, Wonderful Town.

All shook up All shook up

Subtitled by its creators as “A Fearful Radio Show,” this opera reminded Jerome Robbins of Orson Welles’ 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds.

Monotheism mit Marianne Monotheism mit Marianne

Philip Glass is indisputably one of the most prolific composers of the last half century, yet none of his more than 20 operas has found a place in the standard repertoire.

Macaronic and cheese Macaronic and cheese

The Berlin Komische Oper was the scene of one of my greatest opera experiences five years ago, so I particularly looked forward to a return to this theater.

West coast story West coast story

I fall on my knees before this new live recording issued by the San Francisco Symphony.

The Met: Can it be saved? The Met: Can it be saved?

Short answer: yes. But let’s begin by dismissing the a blatant canard. One thing that the Metropolitan Opera does not need to do is to scale back the number of performances in a season.