Seiji Ozawa was a great opera conductor Seiji Ozawa was a great opera conductor

I first experienced the magic of Seiji Ozawa in 1972 when I was 12 years old.

Don’t tread on Marie Don’t tread on Marie

Boston Lyric Opera’s Revolutionary War-set Daughter of the Regiment prioritizes accessibility without losing its charm.

As a hero going to conquest As a hero going to conquest

A joint BeethovenAdams program conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk suggests a way forward for the embattled Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Landing the plane Landing the plane

With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.

Rose to the occasion Rose to the occasion

The embattled Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra bring Adams and Dvorák to Carnegie Hall.

Here, there, and everywhere Here, there, and everywhere

David Fox and Dan Johnson report on Yannick Nézet-Seguin‘s recent performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Philadelphia and New York.

Lucky those people who are so anxious to believe Lucky those people who are so anxious to believe

A high-drama Vanessa by the Boston Symphony Orchestra offers something to believe in.

Dona nobis pacem Dona nobis pacem

A Missa Solemnis to celebrate 125 years of Boston’s Symphony Hall was sophisticated and subdued.

Shadows of a doubt Shadows of a doubt

R.B. Schlather‘s shadowy production with Heartbeat Opera at the Williamstown Theatre Festival proves that Vanessa might be coming into its own at last

Not a Marietta Not a Marietta

We are a nostalgic sort, we opera lovers. Fortunately, Korngold’s Die tote Stadt, which arrived in concert form to Boston’s Symphony Hall last weekend, is all about nostalgia.

Die tote Stadt

Korngold‘s opera in a live broadcast from Boston

Ode to Ode to Joy Ode to Ode to Joy

Are Beethoven’s symphonies overplayed? Yes, but for a reason. While this justification may sound cliché, Beethoven’s humanist universalism is a sentiment that feels urgent in an era of widespread polarization and pessimism.

Meninas and meninos Meninas and meninos

Despite the practically unmitigated fiasco of the last Verdi concert opera performance seen in Boston, I approached Sunday’s Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras performance of Don Carlo at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre with much more optimism.

All the light we cannot hear All the light we cannot hear

The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s program of works by Mozart and Kevin Puts, a composer championed by star Renée Fleming, was one of musical and artistic contrasts.

The chimes of midnight The chimes of midnight

Aside from a tour with the LSO this spring, this was, I believe, the only time Antonio Pappano would be conducting in the US this season. This made the concert at Symphony Hall a real treat.

Veni vidi vici Veni vidi vici

Mahler’s 8th Symphony is an enormous and enigmatic work.

Stage animal control Stage animal control

Following Gundula Janowitz and Janet Baker, Chris’s Cache sends birthday greetings to another favorite diva—Karita Matilla—with a quartet of broadcasts.

I would they had changed voices too! I would they had changed voices too!

Chris’s Cache follows up its Gounod R&J installment with a widely varied quintet of additional Romeos and Juliets

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.

Character is destiny Character is destiny

La forza del destino concluded its run at the Metropolitan Opera with a significant cast change.

Distinctive and unreservedly commendable Distinctive and unreservedly commendable

My sole live encounter with Seiji Ozawa coincided with his final appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, where he conducted its 2008 revival of Tchaikovsky’s Pikovaya Dama.

Opening doors Opening doors

Real estate is hot along the Acela corridor right now: as proof, Judith will have toured at least three castles in New York and Boston between this spring and last.

Singing for herself and the boys in the band Singing for herself and the boys in the band

Boston Symphony Orchestra recently confirmed an infinitely renewable contract upon Andris Nelsons, its music director since 2014. To understand why, one needed little more evidence than the outfit’s recent visit to Carnegie Hall.

That with music loud and long That with music loud and long

The flashing eyes, the floating hair, and the inexplicable barefootnedness during the second half of Saturday night’s performance confirmed one thing: Kristine Opolais is back.