THE HANGOVER REPORT – Playing with drama and discipline, the Pappano-led LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA triumphantly returns to Carnegie Hall

After a hiatus of two decades, the great London Symphony Orchestra makes a highly anticipated return to Carnegie Hall this week for two performances only. As led by newly-appointed music … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Lisa Sanaye Dring’s dutifully written SUMO is a fascinating glimpse into the rarefied world of elite sumo wrestling

Last night, Lisa Sanaye Dring‘s Sumo opened Off-Broadway at the Public Theater’s Anspacher Theater in a co-production by the Public Theater, Ma-Yi Theater Company, and La Jolla Playhouse. In short, Dring’s new … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jake Heggie‘s distilled operatic adaptation of MOBY-DICK powerfully launches the Met’s spring season

Last night marked the opening of the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Moby-Dick — Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s powerful adaptation of Herman Melville’s iconic literary work — launching the … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Led by Muti, the revered VIENNA PHILHARMONIC returns to Carnegie Hall with its annual weekend of concerts

This past weekend, the highly revered Vienna Philharmonic returned to New York for its annual set of performances at Carnegie Hall, this time around conducted by the great maestro Riccardo … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The New Age musical AVALONA is a vague, occasionally stirring re-consideration of the musical theater form

Then over at the Sanctuary at St. Paul and St. Andrew on the Upper West Side, you’ll find the New Age Off-Broadway musical Avalona: A Musical Legend. In essence, the … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Stars take on Sam Shepard’s explosive but meandering CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS, still a relevant allegory for our times

This past weekend, I had the opportunity of attending The New Group’s starry Off-Broadway production of Sam Shepard’s 1978 play Curse of the Starving Class at the Pershing Square Signature … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Sit-com writing detracts from the credibility of D.A. Mindell’s ON THE EVOLUTIONARY FUNCTION OF SHAME

This winter season marks the beginning of a new era for Second Stage Theater — an evolution, if you will — with the opening of D.A. Mindell’s On the Evolutionary … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – City Ballet stars making their mark: TILER PECK nightcaps with Hilary Hahn and MIRA NADON debuts in “Swan Lake”

Two of New York City Ballet’s brightest stars — star principal Tiler Peck and arguably the company’s current “it” girl Mira Nadon — made indelible impressions in their recent appearances … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Rajiv Joseph’s espionage thriller DAKAR 2000 comes into focus in its larger philosophical musings

Earlier this week, Rajiv Joseph’s new two-hander Dakar 2000 opened Off-Broadway at New York City Center Stage I, courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club. In short, the work is a memory … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Germán Cornejo and company burn up the floor in the crowd-pleasing if overlong TANGO AFTER DARK

Earlier this week, I attended The Joyce Theater’s presentation of Tango After Dark, a two-act evening of tango created by World Champion dancer Germán Cornejo, who also stars in the … Continue Reading →