When the sun comes out When the sun comes out

This year as part of Bard’s “Puccini and His World” festival audiences may witness the resurrection of Mascagni’s distinctly odd Iris.

Old west side story Old west side story

While composed within a European style, La Fanciulla del West is an opera that manages to present a distinctly American experience.

Opera Syria Opera Syria

“The music’s fun, but doesn’t Rossini repeat himself?”

Drunk in love Drunk in love

According to my taste, Die Fledermaus is an intoxicating opera

The singer’s art The singer’s art

Call me old fashioned, but when I go to the opera, I go to hear beautiful singing.

Mourning Wood Mourning Wood

Sometimes when you find the club that will have you as a member, you do not easily give up your spot.

Imagined possibilities Imagined possibilities

The opera Patience and Sarah is a fantastic example of radical creativity.

Ezio said than done Ezio said than done

Ezio was an inspired choice for Boston’s feisty Odyssey Opera to open its “When In Rome” festival.

No contest No contest

Richard Wagner viewed dance as an essential element of art, though he used it sparingly in his operas.

Think pink Think pink

LoftOpera offered an unusually satisfying, immensely entertaining production of Rossini’s scintillating portrait of an inveterate seducer.

There ought to be clowns There ought to be clowns

Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of listening to someone tell a joke badly?

Just a song at twilight Just a song at twilight

“Mr. Levine was conducting his beloved Wagner for what was almost certainly the last time.”

Incomplete mountain pass Incomplete mountain pass

The big news on Van Ness Avenue, it goes without saying, is Calixto Bieito’s operatic debut on these shores.

Trauermarsch Trauermarsch

I can scarcely remember a performance where so many conflicting thoughts raced through my mind as happened Thursday night during the Met Orchestra’s “bleeding chunks” of Wagner’s Ring at Carnegie Hall.

Cross purposes Cross purposes

“Has anyone ever seen a truly great production of this opera?”

A choice, not an ecosystem A choice, not an ecosystem

Washington National Opera’s first Ring Cycle came to a bittersweet conclusion this past Sunday, closing the door on an extraordinary three weeks in the opera house and a remarkable musical and theatrical achievement for the company.

At sunset At sunset

Sunday afternoon’s all-Richard Strauss concert served as a de facto commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the debut of Renée Fleming, long one of the house’s biggest stars.

“This is the very ecstasy of love” “This is the very ecstasy of love”

The grand illusion is that we know it all. From four hundred years of opera, we’ve distilled the worthy survivors.

Snow business Snow business

Los Angeles saw the first U.S. performance of Giacomo Puccini’s snow-dusted weeper in 1897 just a year after the young Toscanini led the prima in Turin.

Community service Community service

Regina Opera almost completely fulfilled its mission Saturday afternoon with their production of Manon Lescaut.

Shooting in low light Shooting in low light

What we really need, some seem to believe, is fuller representation of the 19th century.

Orchids, tiaras, minks, ermines and top hats Orchids, tiaras, minks, ermines and top hats

A biopic entitled Florence Foster Jenkins, marvelously directed by Stephen Frears of Philomena and The Queen fame, stars the actress that never ceases to amaze us all, Meryl Streep, as Mme. Jenkins.

Special guest Heldenreizerin Special guest Heldenreizerin

WNO’s first complete Ring Cycle continued Monday evening with a revamped version of the Die Walküre first seen at the Kennedy Center in 2007.

Burden of gilt Burden of gilt

Happily, this Rheingold, which returned to the Kennedy Center Saturday night to open the first of three complete cycles, has been shorn of its clumsier gestures.