Not with a bang Not with a bang

When the Staatskapelle Berlin announced a two-night engagement at Carnegie Hall performing all four Brahms symphonies, I immediately made a note in my calendar to attend. I also wondered who would be the conductor when the announced Daniel Barenboim inevitably withdrew.

on December 07, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Tremens factus sum ego Tremens factus sum ego

One got a sense that the Met and the maestro directed most of the rehearsal and preparation toward the opening night premiere of the Heggie opus

on September 29, 2023 at 2:09 PM
“Ne me refuse pas!” “Ne me refuse pas!”

So, give me three good reasons we should not hear Jamie Barton as the mother of Salomé?

on January 07, 2023 at 6:00 PM
All quirk and no play All quirk and no play

Perhaps the quirkiest of Mahler’s nine symphonies, the Fourth fits nicely with Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s somewhat idiosyncratic style.

on December 12, 2022 at 11:01 AM
Unhappy ‘Hours’ Unhappy ‘Hours’

The film of The Hours failed to effectively weave together the novel’s trio of threads of interiority about suicide and secondarily literary creation. I wondered if an opera would stand a better chance at achieving that?  Based on Tuesday’s diva-encrusted stage premiere of Kevin Puts and Greg Pierce’s The Hours, its creators didn’t pull it off either.

on November 23, 2022 at 12:16 PM
Consistently enthralling Consistently enthralling

To conclude its triumphant season, last week the Met Orchestra performed its annual Carnegie Hall concerts under music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and once again performed superbly.

on June 20, 2022 at 12:51 PM
In my very own private hell In my very own private hell

No, we don’t really need another “Orpheus” opera. Or, rather, we don’t need this one.

on November 24, 2021 at 11:24 PM
Playing with ‘Fire’ Playing with ‘Fire’

With composer Terence Blanchard and librettist Kasi Lemmons‘ incendiary Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the Met makes long overdue history and Will Liverman ascends to superstardom.

on September 28, 2021 at 1:01 PM
Great and happy, but not quite live Great and happy, but not quite live

This was a great and happy event, but it wasn’t so much a musical one.

on September 07, 2021 at 11:14 AM
The Met’s 2020-2021 season The Met’s 2020-2021 season

New productions of Aida, Die Zauberflöte, and Don Giovanni and Met premieres of The Fiery Angel and Dead Man Walking headline the Metropolitan Opera’s 2020–21 season.

on February 13, 2020 at 1:00 PM
Diary of the dead Diary of the dead

Joyce DiDonato’s take on Winterreise is a conceptual misstep that, song after song, frustratingly dilutes and distracts from an often rewarding musical performance.

on December 12, 2019 at 10:56 AM
Moods for moderns Moods for moderns

Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, always with a gift for gab, is ever more loquacious in concerts, often talking directly to the audience.

on November 25, 2019 at 4:46 PM
Quando le sere senza Placido Quando le sere senza Placido

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s opening night concert, for better or worse, was not a gala evening starring Plácido Domingo.

on September 19, 2019 at 8:45 AM
A grandeur night for singing A grandeur night for singing

Die Zauberflöte is an opera!”  “No, it’s the first musical comedy!”

on August 07, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Lenny thing goes Lenny thing goes

With the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Candide, they saved the best (of all possible worlds) for last.

on June 21, 2019 at 2:26 PM
Something cool Something cool

Elina Garanca was radiantly present at Carnegie Hall Friday night performing a ravishingly somber Rückert-Lieder with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the MET Orchestra.

on June 17, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Lenny and God Lenny and God

Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s “Music of Faith” with the Philadelphia Orchestra was a sensational concert, perhaps the best I’ve heard in more than a season.

on January 27, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Keep it gay Keep it gay

Our Own Joel Rozen in Slate ponders the good gay vs. bad gay politics of Zachary Woolfe‘s New York Times celebration of Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

on January 24, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Out of sight, out of mind Out of sight, out of mind

Now, you would think nothing could please gaycentric La Cieca more than yesterday’s New York Times profile of the Met’s new music director…

on January 16, 2019 at 9:49 AM
Emmanuel labor Emmanuel labor

Philadelphia is a city famous for its musical institutions—so, of course, at this time of year Messiah performances abound.

on December 18, 2018 at 2:28 PM
Blonde Venus? Blonde Venus?

The frequently-omniscient Future Met Wiki has recently vouchsafed a few morsels about upcoming Met seasons.

on June 18, 2018 at 2:55 PM
“Tosca,” starring the Philadelphia Orchestra “Tosca,” starring the Philadelphia Orchestra

Though orchestrally lavish, this “semi-staging” delivers less theater than no staging at all.

on May 18, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Bold faces and broadcasts Bold faces and broadcasts

Yannick Nézet-Séguin‘s triumphant Elektra at the Met was the subject of parterre box’s most-read article in March 2018.

on April 03, 2018 at 5:10 PM
And one for Yannick And one for Yannick

Coming up at 3:15 PM, Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 8.

on March 23, 2018 at 2:57 PM