Extravagant minimalism Extravagant minimalism

Ahead of his new production of Die Frau ohne Schatten, Barrie Kosky chats with Kevin Ng in Aix about pretty much everything — except the details of his new Frau.

Oh, Mary Jane! Oh, Mary Jane!

Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Grammy-winning Intelligence makes a largely successful East Coast debut at Virginia Opera.

A lady of coarse and vulgar inclinations A lady of coarse and vulgar inclinations

A stark, sweltering performance of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk shocks the Komische Oper Berlin.

The best thing I saw in 2025 was <em>Breaking the Waves</em> The best thing I saw in 2025 was <em>Breaking the Waves</em>

Houston Grand Opera’s 2025 Breaking the Waves was absolutely my highlight of the year!

Saint-Ex marks the spot Saint-Ex marks the spot

Washington National Opera’s holiday presentation of The Little Prince, based on the classic French novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, showcased the company’s Cafritz Young Artists

Oceanic feeling Oceanic feeling

Grand Tier Grab Bag features a complete performance of Ernest Chausson‘s Poème de l’amour et de la mer ahead of a particular year for both its soloist and conductor.

Hear, O Israel Hear, O Israel

As Messiah season begins, Christopher Corwin reports on two of Handel’s forays into the Old Testament.

Everything is “and,” not “or” Everything is “and,” not “or”

James Gaffigan, the incoming Music Director of Houston Grand Opera, strikes a balance between New World precision and Old World flair in repertoire, staging, and wine

It all began tonight It all began tonight

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

The sweet escape? The sweet escape?

A plodding La bohème in San Francisco never quite takes off

Sex power god Sex power god

Breaking the Waves and Tannhaüser at Houston Grand Opera are a can’t-miss doubleheader of sex and miracles.

Basque in the glory Basque in the glory

For the opening night of Il Trovatore, Houston Grand Opera’s new production aimed high, bringing together a star-studded cast and a fresh, contemporary take on Verdi’s intense drama.

We’re the kids in America We’re the kids in America

Needing a Mozart palate-cleanser after the recent misbegotten Marriage of Figaro, I went back more than two decades for a Houston Così fan Tutte featuring then-rising Americans Christine Goerke, Joyce Di Donato, Richard Croft, and Nathan Gunn as the confused lovers.

Elucidate and complicate Elucidate and complicate

It takes a lot to stop a show with a few minutes of music—and that is exactly what Leah Hawkins did during the 2019 run of Porgy and Bess at The Metropolitan Opera.

Monuments man Monuments man

It has been a great season for prolific Bay Area composer Jake Heggie.

Havin’ a ball Havin’ a ball

Over the weekend, Opera Parallèle, San Francisco’s contemporary opera company, stayed true to their mission of “merging tradition and innovation to re-invent opera for a modern world” as they presented a world premiere double-bill cheekily titled Birds & Balls at SFJazz Center’s Miner Auditorium.

London calling London calling

I watched the finals for this year’s George and Nora London Foundation competition and would like to offer, if not a traditional review, a brief roundup of who I found exceptionally watchable and whom I think you, dear parterre boxers, should watch out for in the next few years.

Someday she’ll come along, the girl I love Someday she’ll come along, the girl I love

In Richard Strauss’s Arabella, the heroine is consumed with finding the right man—der Richtige—but who is the right Arabella?

Touched by a fallen Angel Touched by a fallen Angel

Angel Blue‘s refulgent, lush soprano blooms as Violetta’s vocal lines broaden and soar.

“The work by which I stand or fall” “The work by which I stand or fall”

Dame Ethel Smyth’s third opera, The Wreckers, opened at Houston Grand Opera on October 28 and runs through November 11.

Leaner, meaner and tighter Leaner, meaner and tighter

Why did Ted Sperling and MasterVoices choose to perform an old warhorse like Carmen which has been produced almost continuously over decades just up the street at Lincoln Center?

A place in the shade A place in the shade

Next Wednesday is the composer’s 337th birthday, so Trove Thursday previews this spring’s most enticing Handel performance with two very different live versions of his delightful Serse,.

Letting their hair down Letting their hair down

After the break the ladies stepped up their game so much that it elevated the night into legendary status: definitely one for the books!

In memoriam Pauline Tinsley In memoriam Pauline Tinsley

Pauline Tinsley, who died May 11, made few commercial recordings; Trove Thursday offers the thrilling English soprano in excerpts over nearly two decades from nine works ranging from Handel to Richard Strauss.