Scarcity mindset Scarcity mindset

Michael Thalmeier‘s Tristan und Isolde in Berlin asks, how much minimalism is too much minimalism?

Do the locomotion Do the locomotion

As my friend and I Ubered out to the luxurious Cobb Energy Centre for Atlanta Opera’s La traviata, I had trains on the mind.

Damned to hell Damned to hell

Only the singers, led by Benjamin Bernheim, can salvage a dismal La Damnation de Faust at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées.

Beyond the wail Beyond the wail

Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci at Lyric Opera of Chicago are hysterical in all the wrong ways.

Comic relief Comic relief

Pacific Opera Project’s high-spirited revival of Fra Diavolo is both therapy and an escape.

The replacements The replacements

Second casts in Don Giovanni and Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera offer mixed blessings.

To our glorious dead To our glorious dead

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra offered a rending reading of Britten‘s massive War Requiem with an eclectic trio of soloists.

We wear the masque We wear the masque

A brief concert at the Frick Collection teases the multifaceted artistry of Davóne Tines

Tag team Tag team

The women were the highlights of Washington National Opera’s militaristic Aïda

Let’s do the time warp again Let’s do the time warp again

Tobias Kratzer‘s time-traveling Arabella from the Deutsche Oper Berlin, now available on DVD, turns the opera’s problems into its strengths.

Beyond the merely pretty Beyond the merely pretty

J’Nai Bridges makes a sophisticated companion to the Morgan Library & Museum’s Renoir Drawings exhibit.

Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns

San Diego Opera’s Pagliacci puts a play within a play within a play.

Grail against the machine Grail against the machine

A new production of Parsifal at San Francisco Opera stirred something deep inside Michael Anthonio about how music soothes the soul

Frieze frame Frieze frame

Shirin Neshat‘s Aïda in Paris is a typical instance of what happens when an artist is brought in to direct an opera.

In the beginning In the beginning

In Jacopo Peri’s seminal Euridice, the Newberry Consort and Haymarket Opera made a compelling case for putting you in the room where it happened.

The emperor’s new groove The emperor’s new groove

A new recording of Boito‘s Nerone from Cagliari shows off an epic opera with fire and flamboyance

Vigorous to rigorous Vigorous to rigorous

Dmitry Matvienko led a performance of Mussorgsky and Shostakovich at La Monnaie with meticulous rectitude.

School gyrls School gyrls

What Opera Lafayette’s Dido and Aeneas lost in gravitas it gained in charm and specificity.

Undoing of woman Undoing of woman

Anthony Hüseyin‘s eclectic recital in Berlin explores femicide in opera through a queer, nonbinary lens.

Up the creek and over the hill Up the creek and over the hill

Matthias Goerne‘s Die schöne Müllerin at Carnegie Hall offers a hoary and excessive collection of mannerisms and vocal tics that served the artist more than the music itself.

Avec la victoire, l’instant du bonheur Avec la victoire, l’instant du bonheur

Buoyed by a strong cast, The Metropolitan Opera continues its autumn bel canto streak with a winning revival of Donizetti’s La fille du regiment.

The scorned mother of us all The scorned mother of us all

Seeing Sondra Radvanovsky as Medea at Lyric Opera of Chicago sprawled across the floor, soaked in her children’s blood, is proof that we’re witnessing an utterly haunting singer-actor.

Dona nobis pacem Dona nobis pacem

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

Hold! Enough! Hold! Enough!

The timing for Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Macbeth this weekend was perfect for Halloween, though the show itself at the Emerson Colonial Theatre was decidedly less spooky.