THE HANGOVER REPORT – A contemplative theatrical fusion: WATCH NIGHT embraces opera, poetry, and dance to create a timely tapestry

Last night, I made my way to the brand new Perelman Performing Arts Center — also known simply as PAC NYC — to catch one of its inaugural commissions Watch Night. … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Laurie Anderson’s upbeat LET X = X and Gregory Maqoma’s transcendent BROKEN CHORD kick off BAM’S Next Wave 2023 with a bang

This week, the 2023 version of the Brooklyn Academy of Music‘s Next Wave Festival kicked off with a bang with a pair of memorable offerings (see below for my further … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – More than two decades onwards, Heggie and McNally’s DEAD MAN WALKING arrives at the Met in a new, clear-eyed staging

This week, I was also able to catch up with the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Dead Man Walking, American composer Jake Heggie and the late playwright Terrence McNally’s opera adaptation … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jonas Kaufmann gives a haunted performance in DOPPELGANGER, Claus Guth’s immersive staging of Schubert’s “Schwanengesang”

This weekend at the massive drill hall at the Park Avenue Armory, I was able to attend the opening night performance of Doppelganger, Claus Guth’s staged presentation of Schubert’s “Schwanengesang”, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Fall season teasers at Lincoln Center: Extraordinary soprano LISE DAVIDSEN at the Met and the NY PHILHARMONIC accompanies “West Side Story”

This past week, two of Lincoln Center’s major music constituents – the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic (City Ballet’s season commences next week) – teased audiences of what’s … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – TEATRO NUOVO tastefully mounts a pair of rarely-performed bel canto operas, delivering inspired music-making and unforced theater

This past week on two consecutive nights at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the upstart opera company Teatro Nuovo – which specializes in resuscitating the bel canto … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Under the baton of maestro Nézet-Séguin, the mighty MET ORCHESTRA performs a glorious rendition of Brahms’ “German Requiem”

Last week for one night only, the mighty Met Orchestra performed the first of its two season-capping concerts at Carnegie Hall. Vividly led by the Metropolitan Opera’s beloved music director … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – François Girard’s grim “new” production of DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER returns to the Met, magnificently performed

The pandemic may have been the best thing that could have happened to François Girard’s production of Der fliegende Holländer by Richard Wagner. The Metropolitan Opera’s staging – co-production with … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Simon McBurney’s new human-scaled staging of DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE basks in low-tech spectacle and literally elevates the music

Last week, the Metropolitan Opera unveiled its new production of Die Zauberflöte. Helmed by British theater director Simon McBurney, the production partially replaces Julie Taymor’s long-running staging (I say partially because … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ivo van Hove’s potent new DON GIOVANNI arrives at the Met, splendidly sung and surprisingly straightforward

Last night, I caught up with Ivo van Hove’s anticipated new production of Don Giovanni, which opened last week at the Metropolitan Opera. The Belgian auteur’s production replaces Michael Grandage’s lifeless … Continue Reading →