Songs and snowbirds Songs and snowbirds

Will Liverman and Kiera Duffy brought an eclectic program to their jovial post-blizzard recital at Rhode Island College.

I’m likin’ this American boy I’m likin’ this American boy

Baritone John Brancy smoothly traverses the American songbook at Carnegie Hall. 

She’s no basic britch She’s no basic britch

Samantha Hankey’s Composer is the standout in the Wiener Staatsoper’s episodically sublime Ariadne auf Naxos revival.

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.

Onegin, off again Onegin, off again

The Ralph Fiennes production of Eugene Onegin at the Paris Opera is just…fine.

For my next trick For my next trick

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under conductor Stéphane Denève plays up the schtick in a concert performance of The Magic Flute – and obscures Mozart’s magic in the process.

Dashed hopes Dashed hopes

Joyce DiDonato makes the most of Kevin Puts‘s trite new Emily Dickinson monodrama.

Agent orange Agent orange

That Trump opera at the Staatsoper Hamburg is lazy activism at its finest, we fear.

Diva down Diva down

An excellent Věc Makropulos at Opéra de Lille makes the case for the vitality and necessity of France’s regional companies.

Di qualità, di qualità! Di qualità, di qualità!

San Diego Opera presents a strongly directed and cast revival of Il barbiere di Siviglia. 

Was keinem in Worten ich künde Was keinem in Worten ich künde

In Modena, Teodor Currentzis‘s Ring ohne Worte foregoes words but not gimmickry.

Mother is mothering Mother is mothering

Marina Rebeka comes tantalizingly close to triumph in Cherubini’s Médée at Théâtre des Champs Elysées.

Baroque in the Bay Area Baroque in the Bay Area

Under the baton of Nicholas McGegan, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale proves they have a magic touch in a program of Rameau and Handel.

A shtetl aesthetic A shtetl aesthetic

Austin Opera’s moving production of Fiddler on the Roof grounds itself in lived tradition, to great effect.

Americana, reconsidered Americana, reconsidered

Davóne Tines leads a thought-provoking program in San Francisco reconsidering patriotism, dissent, and spirituality as the United States faces down its quarter millennium crisis.

Life of the Mardi Life of the Mardi

La Monnaie’s flamboyantly busy new production of Benvenuto Cellini reads more burlesque than Berlioz.

Beam me up, Selim Beam me up, Selim

Die Entführung aus dem Serail boldly goes where no opera has gone before at Pacific Opera Project. 

Extravaganza of ideas Extravaganza of ideas

Iván Fischer‘s Mahler 3 with the Budapest Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall is memorable but crude, sometimes exhilarating and often tedious.

No shrinking Violanta No shrinking Violanta

A chic production of Violanta at the Deutshce Oper Berlin continues the Korngold craze on the other side of the Atlantic.

I want you to enter the holy of holies I want you to enter the holy of holies

Das Wunder der Heliane fuses sex with the sacred at a simmering performance at the Opéra National du Rhin.

More than a material girl More than a material girl

The vivacious MANON! at Heartbeat Opera makes a strong case for the return of opera in translation.

Past is prologue Past is prologue

Simon Boccanegra has never felt as foreboding or prophetic as it did at a recent performance at La Fenice.

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.

Nature boy Nature boy

With Siegfried, the directorial vision of the Paris Opera‘s Ring cycle finally takes root.