Mainly in the plain Mainly in the plain

I wonder why many New Yorkers have been led to believe that the only Handel conductor in the world is Harry Bicket.

Two on the Nile Two on the Nile

A pair of Hasse works: the all-male oratorio I Pellegrini al Sepolcro di Nostro Signore, plus the popular serenata Marc’Antonio e Cleopatra.

What women want What women want

While isolated opera-lovers intently navigate the deluge of streaming videos being made available, I’ve been listening rather than viewing.

Boy meets world Boy meets world

A beautiful concert of 18th century sacred music arrived at Weill Recital Hall performed by the soulful Polish Wunderkind Jakub Jósef Orlinski.

Made in the shade Made in the shade

Here’s a quick sprint through some recent (and a few maybe not-so-very-recent) Handel CDs that have been stacking up. 

For a few dolors more For a few dolors more

LoftOpera’s accurately but unpromisingly named Pergolesi & Vivaldi stumbled rather than soared.

The most dangerous game The most dangerous game

“Trove Thursday” presents a recording of the rare L’Olimpiade featuring Joan Caplan and Rita Shane in the two leading castrato roles.

Beyond the forest Beyond the forest

An opera revolving around chastity vows, adultery, slut-shaming, lesbianism, transvestism and much more!

Maxed out Maxed out

Might Max Emanuel Cencic be the countertenor for people who hate countertenors?

Words and music Words and music

As is happening increasingly in opera productions today (e.g., the Rosenkavalier in Stuttgart), the action of Moses und Aron at the Komische Oper begins some minutes before the music does.

The bough friend The bough friend

The Deutsche Opera an Rhein production of Handel’s Xerxes (which is shared with the Berlin Komische Oper), though I saw it three nights ago, has taken a while to settle down in my brain.

(Mighty real) (Mighty real)

A problem with scheduling an opera-intensive trip is that you don’t always hear and see the shows in optimum order.