VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Dairy: Theater via Zoom, Renée Fleming x2, and [Musicals] Live!

And so, the quarantining continues, and so does my at-home streaming of performing arts content. Here’s the latest crop of viewings and my associated thoughts. THEATER In terms of theater … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: A Tom Hiddleston-led CORIOLANUS, Alvin Ailey graciously dances through the hurt in ODE, and Karita Mattila goes for the jugular as SALOME

As I quickly approach the three-month mark of lockdown, I remain thankful for the quantity and quality of the performing arts content that I’ve been able to stream on a … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Dueling FAUST operas, an exceptional TURANDOT, and the end of City Ballet’s Digital Spring Season

And so the quarantining continues, as does my performing arts streaming. Here are my latest thoughts … OPERA Over the past week or so, I streamed three performances of note, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: City Ballet unleashes a diverse set, the Met’s 2008 PETER GRIMES stops the heart, and a pair of short plays disarm

And so, Week Nine (!) of lockdown has come and gone in New York. As mentioned before, I’ve largely kept sane thanks to the performing arts content that I’ve been … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Exuberant dancing from City Ballet, a set of captivating opera productions, the invaluable “Stars in the House”, and a little-known Andrew Lloyd Webber musical

Eight weeks of quarantine have come and gone, and I think I would have already gone mad had it not been for the performances I’ve been able to stream at … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The Met and Sondheim, two pillars of the arts, held up amidst the lockdown and celebrated with considerable style

In light of the bleak uncertainty facing the performing arts during the ongoing lockdown, I’ve been inspired by the valiant and nimble efforts of artists (and administrators) to band together and … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Richard Strauss’s ELEKTRA, Bryony Lavery’s TREASURE ISLAND, George Balanchine’s ALLEGRO BRILLANTE, and Robert O’Hara’s GATHER

Like many performing arts fans out there, I’ve been steadily streaming content to enjoy in lieu of attending live performances (which, pre-pandemic, I used to do pretty much on a … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – For its new productions of Handel’s AGRIPPINA & Wagner’s DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER, the Met turns to a pair of tried-and-true directors

Over the last few weeks, the Metropolitan Opera unveiled two new productions. I’m happy to report that both are noteworthy and thought-provoking efforts, the result of two brilliant directors tastefully … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A propulsive LA TRAVIATA at the Met, led by a vocally resplendent Aleksandra Kurzak

I recently had a chance to revisit Michael Mayer’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera. Upon reassessment, I remain lukewarm to the year-old production and still do miss Willy … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Susan Graham returns to New York in a stirring evening-length concert inspired by Schumann’s FRAUENLIEBE UND -LEBEN

Along with millions of other Americans, I have long had a soft spot in my heart for star mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, who this week returned to New York (she now … Continue Reading →