Die Frist ist Glum Die Frist ist Glum

This Holländer offers neither a clear narrative vision for the work nor a sense of turbocharged drama; it simply sits on the Met’s cavernous stage as a dull gray mass.

Reviving a pharaoh Reviving a pharaoh

The Met brought back 2019 smash Akhnaten last night, with nearly the exact same cast and creative team, and with nearly the same knockout effect of three years ago.

Lady willpower Lady willpower

Hie thee hither to the Lyric Opera House!

A dark drab dud A dark drab dud

I never imagined I’d see such a rote park-and-bark Wagner production created in 2020!

Natural woman Natural woman

I do not envy Jennifer Rowley the task of stepping into Anna Netrebko’s shoes.

Razors, edge Razors, edge

Curtis Opera ventured Sweeney Todd.

Every day a little death Every day a little death

Neumeier adapted the story close to home, making Orpheus a choreographer and his wife a star ballerina.

Simultaneous transformation Simultaneous transformation

For those who thought opera to be a rare enough commodity that there shouldn’t be duels, Saturday night in the Berkshires offered the odd rebuttal.

A fire upon the deep A fire upon the deep

Returning after 99 years for the Met’s annual New Year’s Eve gala, Bizet’s youthful exercise in Orientalia Les Pêcheurs de Perles proved a real crowd-pleaser.

The rite stuff The rite stuff

Remember that time you went to the opera and the entire evening was perfection?

She who gets slapped She who gets slapped

All those who have been in a rage since the news broke this week that the Metropolitan Opera has invited Calixto Bieito to stage Verdi’s La Forza del Destino can relax and embrace the Juilliard Opera’s new Le Nozze di Figaro which opened Friday night.

Trigger warning Trigger warning

The Rape of Lucretia, now (through Sunday) enjoying a superb three-performance run at the Juilliard Opera’s Willson Theater (tickets are scarce; hie thee to the waiting list), was Benjamin Britten’s third opera and first “chamber opera,” composed for the tiny original theater at Glyndebourne,

Tonight or Neva Tonight or Neva

Last night, the Met opened the 2013-14 season with a handsome, fairly conservative new production of Eugene Onegin by Deborah Warner that replaces the handsome, fairly conservative one by Robert Carsen. (The trend is clear.)

Wigs and weaves Wigs and weaves

It’s easiest to write reviews when there are soaring triumphs and miserable failures.

Desert fox Desert fox

Karol Szymanowski’s 1926 King Roger was the sleeper hit of SFO’s season, not so much for its weird, mystical theme and feeble libretto but because the music is powerfully effective.

The desert song The desert song

You Parterrestrials know all about Santa Fe Opera’s amazing mountain setting and open-sided theater affording breathtaking sunsets, weather-related drama and–when the back stage wall is opened–starry backdrops, but it was my first visit, so indulge me a little.

Just salvage

Santa Fe has done a brave and laudable thing is presenting the first major revival of The Last Savage in decades, and if the libretto were, perhaps, translated into Hindu, the production values, excellence of cast, and directorial choices could conceivably work their magic of, if not pulling a rabbit out of a hat, then…

Make ’em laugh!

“A German, a Peruvian and a Kiwi walk into an American theater and start speaking French: that sounds like the premise of a joke, right?” Our Own JJ reviews La fille du régiment at the Met.

i want to liveblog!

Tuesday morning: A further report from Lindoro Almaviva: Over all the night was a success d’estime. It was a Renee worship night and we got just that. I am sure you will be able to talk in better terms about the singing or lack thereof. My impression is that Renee had an “acting” night, as…