VIEWPOINTS – Women taking the baton: Marin Alsop conducts John Adams’ EL NIÑO and Jane Glover leads the NY PHILHARMONIC

This past week over at Lincoln Center, I was able to catch a pair of accomplished women conductors take the baton at two flagship performing arts institutions. See below for … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Terence Blanchard’s powerful contemporary opera FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES returns to The Met

This week, the Metropolitan Opera’s acclaimed production of Fire Shut Up in My Bones — a powerful contemporary opera by award-winning jazz musician Terence Blanchard (music) and Kasi Lemmons (libretto) — returned … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A stellar cast ignites the Met’s cinematic new staging of Verdi’s LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

One of the Metropolitan Opera’s most anticipated offerings during the winter/spring months is its new production of Verdi’s eventful and unabashedly dramatic La Forza del Destino, which is currently concluding … Continue Reading →

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 →