Mein Lieder Schwan Mein Lieder Schwan

Matthew Polenzani charms the pants off of Philadelphia.

Sublime loneliness Sublime loneliness

Across three evenings at the 92nd Street Y, Konstantin Krimmel and Ammiel Bushakevitz traversed all of Schubert‘s major song cycles with stark intensity.

Follow your bliss Follow your bliss

In recital for the Los Angeles Opera, tenor Ben Bliss makes the case for the next stage of his career.

Form over function Form over function

A consideration of Anika Kildegaard’s extraordinary recital in Philadelphia—and the oddity of recitals themselves. 

My Lott in life My Lott in life

Some of my blog‘s habitués (they do exist) will know that I sometimes quote the people around me at the opera.

Broken branching out Broken branching out

Karim Sulayman’s intentions are to demonstrate links and roots, in themes musical and poetic, crossing every boundary of culture, religion, nationality, genre.

Singin’ through the sunshine Singin’ through the sunshine

Julia Bullock seems to fission herself multiple times over during the course of her newest, widely ranging recital program.

An opalescent wonder An opalescent wonder

In a lovingly curated program of art songs, Ying Fang and the pianist Myra Huang presented pieces hailing from four different national traditions.

Love, loss and what she wore Love, loss and what she wore

Sondra Radvanovsky eschewed the customary stuffiness of the recital format, often speaking directly to the audience and putting her selections in a highly personal context.

Spark plug Spark plug

Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen‘s star is surely on the rise.

A different type of self-consciousness altogether A different type of self-consciousness altogether

Emily D’Angelo, in a moment of subversion, sang the entire program wearing casual trousers, a vest, and chunky combat boots, her cropped hair slightly mussed, and wearing only light make-up.

Between the sheets Between the sheets

Ms. Damrau unleashed a Blitzkrieg of charm upon her audience.

Recasting the mold Recasting the mold

Kennedy Center could not have predicted just how aptly Saturday evening’s rescheduled recital of 2020 Marian Anderson Award winner, baritone Will Liverman, would respond to the moment.

Dreaming a world Dreaming a world

Fueled by a fierce intelligence, deep earnestness, exceptional eloquence, and social media savvy, Joyce DiDonato is a presence and a power, as much when speaking and thinking as when singing. Who better to imagine a program that would suit this (we hope) unique moment?

A new meadow to wander in A new meadow to wander in

Over the past two decades, the understatedly beguiling Sasha Cooke has inched chronologically inwards in her subtle conquest of swathes of mezzo concert repertoire.

Seductively compelling Seductively compelling

Rosa Feola immediately established with her first group that she’s a serious artist who brought to the concert format both a warmly appealing coppery soprano as well as detailed and savvy dramatic instincts.

I believe in unicorns I believe in unicorns

Sunday evening Los Angeles Opera presented tenor Javier Camarena in recital to a wildly enthusiastic audience from the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Immersed in eternal light Immersed in eternal light

Christian Gerhaher delivers a Kindertotenlieder of such conciliatory tact that it erases all others.

Quicksilver messenger Quicksilver messenger

At the Park Avenue Armory, Barbara Hannigan chose to sing works that tested her metal in odd corners of vocalism.

Easily assimilated Easily assimilated

I’ve never liked the term “crossover.”

Cryptic Cryptic

Hearing Lucas Meachem perform Kindertotenlieder in the crypt of Harlem’s Church of the Intercession was a heart-warming, and ultimately uplifting experience.

Disappearing act Disappearing act

Tenor Matthew Polenzani and pianist Julius Drake’s performance left this listener in a a state of euphoria.

Grazie Millo Grazie Millo

There are, on rare occasions, moments in a live performance where some intangible symbiotic relationship between audience and performer creates an instant that borders on the sublime.

But wait! There’s more! But wait! There’s more!

Sunday’s sold out Carnegie Hall recital became a veritable love-fest between the Peruvian tenor and those assembled in the Hall.