The power of fête The power of fête

The New Amsterdam Opera Company presented a concert Forza (orchestra and chorus, yes; sets and costumes, no) at $35 a ticket.

Tales that witness madness Tales that witness madness

Jacques Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann has had a bumpy ride to its pride of position in the current French repertoire.

The long and winding road The long and winding road

In her debut solo album, Jamie Barton surrounds Gustav Mahler’s staples of the song repertoire, Rückert Lieder, with the less familiar Gypsy Songs of Antonin Dvorák and select songs by Jean Sibelius.

Only connect… Only connect…

Anna Caterina Antonacci delivered a tour de force of French diction, subtlety of phrasing, variation of vocal timbre, and white-hot stage acting.

Tragedy in song Tragedy in song

LoftOpera’s Saturday night performance of Rossini’s Otello successfully appealed to the essential kinetic energy of the operatic art form.

Reunited Reunited

There is much to say about the similarities between the plot of Fidelio and the ancient myth of Orpheus.

The party’s over The party’s over

Seven characters step forward and sing a rousing opening number, “The Party Goes On,” accompanied by images of job lines, Hoovervilles, and soup kitchens.

You must meet my wife You must meet my wife

The rewards of Leonore lie almost as much in the ensembles as the solo contributions.

Conspicuous consumption Conspicuous consumption

On Thursday evening, the Teatro alla Scala audience didn’t watch the familiar presentation of a “wayward woman” who overcomes moral inferiority only to be robbed of happiness when she finally deserved it.

Ring cycle Ring cycle

Washington National Opera continued a focus on recent works this season with Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer’s 2013 opera Champion on the life of boxer Emile Griffith.

Manhattan melodrama Manhattan melodrama

Curtis Opera Theater mounted a musically remarkable account of John AdamsDoctor Atomic on March 2.

Life is like a train Life is like a train

“In my music, there’s not repetition. Something is always going on.”

All right on the western front All right on the western front

Silent Night is in a sense a giant middle finger raised against the conventional wisdom that musical sophistication requires inscrutability.

‘Dead Man,’ stumbling ‘Dead Man,’ stumbling

The opera is relentlessly obvious, a work that repeatedly turns to tired tropes and canned characters to fill up its nearly three hour run time.

Cards on the table Cards on the table

The Canadian Opera Company scored a coup when they secured Christine Goerke for the revival of their Ring productions over the last three seasons

Cross fit Cross fit

Opera composers do not often change their spots.

Open source Open source

Ted Hearne’s opera/oratorio The Source brings compositional process and combination of acoustic and electronic elements to the weighty topics of national security leaks, big data, and war.

Water, logged Water, logged

So, how excited are you to read another piece about the Mary Zimmerman Rusalka?

Plummeting in love Plummeting in love

The Met’s current production of Verdi’s La Traviata is something of a mixed bag.

Dancing lady Dancing lady

I entered the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday night for LA Opera’s 30 year old revival of their production of Salome with a combination of enthusiasm and apprehension.

Devil may not care Devil may not care

The subject of timidity has been in my thoughts in these waning days of February 2017. One would almost think there had been some big announcement recently, preceded by a series of smaller ones, to turn a U.S.-based opera fan’s thoughts in this direction. 

C’est la chanson des rêveurs qui s’étaient arraché le coeur C’est la chanson des rêveurs qui s’étaient arraché le coeur

Sandrine Piau‘s lovely recital with pianist Susan Manoff at The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society on February 14 entered around the themes of sleep, dreams and waking. 

Crazy in love Crazy in love

I am, perhaps instinctively, skeptical of those who commit suicide.

Occult following Occult following

Radvanovsky delivered a vocal and histrionic performance that should be the gold standard Norma for years.