THE HANGOVER REPORT – NYCO’s intimate operatic adaptation of DOLORES CLAIBORNE by Tobias Picker fails to ignite

The discerning New York theatergoer can easily get into the Halloween spirit by attending any number of carefully curated productions. Thomas Ostermeier’s devilish mounting of Richard III at BAM, Dave Malloy’s pungent song … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – David McVicar’s new production of NORMA for the Met is grounded and theatrically satisfying

Last night, I finally caught up with Sir David McVicar’s new production of Bellini’s Norma at the Metropolitan Opera, replacing John Copley’s dismal 2001 staging. Happily, the new production by Mr. … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Pierre Boulez’s RÉPONS at the Park Avenue Armory is an enveloping experience

The late Pierre Boulez’s Répons made its first “proper” New York appearance in more than a decade this past weekend at the Park Avenue Armory. It was an enveloping musical … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Matthew Aucoin’s CROSSING is that rare new opera of the first order

This past weekend, I attended the closing performance of Matthew Aucoin’s tremendous new opera Crossing, one of headliners of this fall’s ongoing Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. In … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Maestro Levine leads a noble account of DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE at the Met

Tonight, I caught the opening night performance of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte led by the Metropolitan Opera’s esteemed longtime maestro, James Levine. In recent years, Mr. Levine has suffered a series of health … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The thrilling Vittorio Grigolo leads a coolly menacing LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN

Is it that time of year again? With this past Monday’s premiere of David McVicar’s new production of Bellini’s Norma, the Met’s 2017-2018 season was off and running. Last night, I … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Michel van der Aa’s immersive BLANK OUT at the Park Avenue Armory is a triumph of concept and execution

Tonight, I caught the penultimate performance of Michel van der Aa’s immersive Blank Out at the Park Avenue Armory. Over the years, the Armory has become one of the key purveyors of must-see … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Recapping a summer’s worth of cabaret highs

With the slowdown in theater openings during the summer months, I typically find myself spending more time at cabaret clubs across the city. Indeed, over the course of the summer … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The legacy of The Who lives on in divergent renditions of TOMMY and QUADROPHENIA

On recent back-to-back nights (yesterday and Sunday), I had the opportunity to experience two of The Who’s most famous rock operas, Tommy and Quadrophenia, in divergent renditions that made me consider these … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The rarely-performed LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST is given a solid treatment by New York City Opera

Yesterday I caught a rare production Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, an operatic adaptation of David Belasco’s play The Golden Girl of the West (I had only previously seen the … Continue Reading →