Unqualified triumph Unqualified triumph

Since I began regularly attending performances at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1999, I have been a great admirer of director Francesca Zambello’s productions.

on March 18, 2024 at 9:00 AM
<em>Femenine</em> mystique <em>Femenine</em> mystique

“What I am trying to achieve is to be what I am to the fullest. Black to the fullest, a musician to the fullest, a homosexual to the fullest.”

on March 15, 2024 at 10:00 AM
The artist is present The artist is present

And is this ‘Orpheus’ in the room with us right now?

on March 14, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Bird brain Bird brain

Opera at the Kennedy Center has been in hibernation this winter.

on March 13, 2024 at 10:09 AM
Muti point Muti point

It would be enough to compare his official studio recording of this work with the recent performances in Turin to confirm that today Riccardo Muti is no longer totally ‘Mutian’

on March 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Color me impressed Color me impressed

Bay Area audiences starved for vocal fare during its opera’s winter/spring hiatus recently experienced two exceptional concerts with distinguished singing at the Davies Symphony Hall.

on March 12, 2024 at 9:00 AM
A fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes A fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes

It’s not hard not to feel jaded about Romeo and Juliet.

on March 11, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Garden varieties Garden varieties

Those of us in New York City who relish 17th century Italian vocal music were offered an enticing banquet over the past few weeks.

on March 07, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Diplomatic immunity Diplomatic immunity

Émigré, unfortunately, fails to do justice, either musically or theatrically, to this group of refugees or to the Shanghainese who took them in.

on March 06, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Have a napkin, have a chopstick, have a chair Have a napkin, have a chopstick, have a chair

From a musical perspective, the evening came together admirably. As a work of theater, though, it was as stale as last week’s takeout.

on March 04, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Divine mother Divine mother

What does it mean to be a “gender transcendent diva?”

on March 01, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Sack of Rome Sack of Rome

Finding Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia on the Academy of Vocal Arts calendar was both a pleasure and something of a surprise—the latter because the work is far from central repertoire, even in a conservatory.

on March 01, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Destiny’s child Destiny’s child

While you may need to bring along your Dramamine, the Met’s new production of La forza del destino, does—eventually—spin fast enough to achieve escape velocity.

on February 28, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Small but mighty Small but mighty

One of the first things James Conlon did when he took over the reins as Music Director of LA Opera was create the “Recovered Voices” project, producing operas that had been suppressed by the Nazis.

on February 27, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Katya, later Katya, later

Leos Janácek’s rise to international prominence as a Titan of music was dovetailed by a cluster of profoundly original operas that were written during his extraordinary autumnal years.

on February 26, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Private tudoring Private tudoring

Anna Bolena is one of the many works by Donizetti which, after their modern recovery in the second part of the last century, have both never fully left the stage while simultaneously never becoming a repertoire staple Lucia di Lammermoor or L’elisir d’amore.

on February 23, 2024 at 9:00 AM
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.

on February 21, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Ceaseless mugging Ceaseless mugging

The phrase “immersive Coffee Cantata experience” evokes being dipped into a giant, boiling vat of java.

on February 21, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Being beauteous Being beauteous

With its sumptuous wood paneling, frescoed ceilings, and various Gilded Age trappings, the Park Avenue Armory’sBoard of Officers Room certainly is not a bad place to spend Valentine’s Day—even better when it plays host to equally sumptuous music-making.

on February 20, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Park and “Bark” Park and “Bark”

Taylor Mac isn’t known for being short-winded.

on February 14, 2024 at 9:00 AM
A three-hour tour A three-hour tour

We may all be armchair Handelians, but some of us are more used to it than others.

on February 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM
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.

on February 12, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Don’t you forget about me Don’t you forget about me

It seemed like such a great idea on paper.

on February 08, 2024 at 9:00 AM
If you remember, then follow If you remember, then follow

How many hours of our lives are spent looking back?

on February 07, 2024 at 10:00 AM