By Daniel J. Wakin [NY Times, 23 May 2010]

The [New York] Philharmonic is presenting the New York premiere production of the earthily absurdist opera “Le Grand Macabre” by Gyorgy Ligeti, first performed in 1978, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. It is a risky gambit for the orchestra and its new music director, Alan Gilbert, who have invested a lot of resources and hopes in the production. They are framing the performances as the signature event of Mr. Gilbert’s first season and a harbinger of things to come.