Almost always, criticism of Wagner and his work says more about the critic (and as often as not, his or her shortcomings) than about the composer’s legacy itself. To my…
Month: October 2026
Heart and Soul in Britten and Schumann at the Wigmore Hall
Two months from now, on 4 December 2026, the world will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Benjamin Britten. The Wigmore Hall, which saw so many premieres…
Mary, Queen of Scots in San Francisco
A 1977 opera by Thea Musgrave, not to be confused with Gaetano Donizetti’s 1835 Maria Stuarda. Unlike the bel canto execution of Mary (b. 1542, d. 1567), it is a…
Montana’s River Is Awash with Superlative Talent
It is cause for nationwide rejoicing that Opera Montana has commissioned and produced a nigh unto flawless World Premiere of a soulful, spirited and soaring operatic treatment of A River Runs…