VIEWPOINTS – The legacy of The Who lives on in divergent renditions of TOMMY and QUADROPHENIA

On recent back-to-back nights (yesterday and Sunday), I had the opportunity to experience two of The Who’s most famous rock operas, Tommy and Quadrophenia, in divergent renditions that made me consider these … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The rarely-performed LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST is given a solid treatment by New York City Opera

Yesterday I caught a rare production Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, an operatic adaptation of David Belasco’s play The Golden Girl of the West (I had only previously seen the … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ivan Fischer’s riveting DON GIOVANNI is opera at its most potent

I had missed Ivan Fischer’s acclaimed, stripped-down production of Don Giovanni when it last graced New York in 2011 as part of Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival. However, in subsequent … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Kaija Saariaho’s CIRCLE MAP dares us to encounter music in a new way, and succeeds

I’ve long been fascinated by the intersection between space/perspective and performance. What better venue in New York, really, than the cavernous Park Avenue Armory, particularly its 55,000 square foot drill … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A long day’s journey into night and back: Taylor Mac’s 24-hour A 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC was miraculous, triumphant

After 48 hours, I’m still reeling from the experience I had last weekend at St. Ann’s Warehouse. From noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday – that’s right, a whopping … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Verdensteatret’s BRIDGE OVER MUD at BAM is hypnotic, seductive

BAM’s Next Wave Festival continued last weekend with the brief run of Norwegian art collective Verdensteatret’s Bridge Over Mud at the flexible and intimate BAM Fisher space. Bridge Over Mud … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Martin Creed’s WORDS & MUSIC performance celebrates human limitations

To accompany his current large-scale exhibition at the increasingly essential Park Avenue Armory, British artist Marin Creed (who won the Turner Prize in 2001) and his band are appearing in … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Ever vital, COIL and AMERICAN REALNESS playfully explore space, perspective, and modes of expression

Each January, Coil and American Realness – two slightly overlapping New York-based festivals that present the cutting edge in theater and dance – never fail to have a visceral impact … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A look back at some of the performing arts festivals that never failed to challenge, enrich (and frustrate) me

For me, one of the most exciting aspects of attending live performance is the prospect of being exposed to new forms of expression, combinations, and perspectives. In the city, no … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Laurie Anderson’s HABEAS CORPUS profoundly illuminates the Park Avenue Armory despite an underpowered night-capping concert

Laurie Anderson is an artist who defies categorization. Her latest construct, Habeas Corpus, continues to find Ms. Anderson wearing a number of hats – multimedia artist, singer/songwriter, and most importantly … Continue Reading →