THE HANGOVER REPORT – Matt Ray’s gargantuan score shines in BARK OF MILLIONS, the latest of Taylor Mac’s sprawling creations

Last night at the BAM Harvey Theater, I had the great pleasure of basking in the queer paradise that is Bark of Millions, the latest in Taylor Mac’s line of … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – PROTOTYPE 2024: Immersing audiences in out-of-the box experiences and beguiling new soundscapes

If you’re a fan of adventurous opera and music theater, you’ll likely be familiar with Prototype, an annual festival which for over a decade has produced an accomplished collection of … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – NYGASP brings back its smartly re-framed production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s THE MIKADO

This past weekend at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, I attended a performance of The Mikado courtesy of the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players — or “NYGASP”, for … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Contrasting nights at the Met: A new, revisionist staging of CARMEN and a sturdily traditional revival of NABUCCO

On consecutive evenings this week, I had the opportunity to take in back-to-back viewings of contrasting productions at the Metropolitan Opera. As per usual, read on for my thoughts. CARMENThe … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – THE BEST OF 2023: Theater, Music, and Dance

With 2023 officially behind us, I’ve taken some time to look back at the year to take stock and assess the performances that have stood out and risen to the … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A fresh, young secondary cast of THE MAGIC FLUTE injects life into the Met’s holiday presentation of the Mozart favorite

Fantastical spectacle aside, Mozart’s The Magic Flute is a strange opera for family holiday consumption — which is exactly how the Metropolitan Opera has marketed and programmed the popular singspiel. … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A new holiday tradition: John Adams’ powerfully distilled EL NIÑO: NATIVITY RECONSIDERED is accessible yet revisionist

Last night at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, I attended my third Christnastime oratorio, John Adams and Peter Sellars’ El Niño: Nativity Reconsidered (you can read my joint review … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Met’s traditional staging of Wagner’s TÄNNHAUSER returns in a musically sublime revival

Earlier this week, I caught up with the Metropolitan Opera’s current revival of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser. Written in 1845, the opera is a transitional work that appealingly straddles traditional grand … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – South American Magic Realism at Lincoln Center: FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS at The Met and THE GARDENS OF ANUNCIA at LCT

Before the winter doldrums set in, you’ll be able to bask in some tropical South American weather and fragrant magical realism wafting from two of the stages at Lincoln Center. … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Anthony Davis’s fascinating X: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X makes its belated premiere at the Metropolitan Opera

This fall, Anthony Davis’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X made its long-awaited debut at the Metropolitan Opera (the production is a co-presentation with Detroit Opera, Lyric Opera … Continue Reading →