Even though it is one of the important operas of the twentieth century, Arnold Schoenbergís Moses und Aron is, perhaps, more esteemed than performed.
Category: Reviews
Der Rosenkavalier at ENO
It is worth remembering that prior to the premiËre of Straussís opera in 1911, the working title was ëOchs auf Lerchenauí.
Il Matrimonio Segreto in Brooklyn
Opera producers in quest of headlines, unable to make them from the limited number of Mozart operas available (all of them far too familiar) but equipped with the flood of attractive young singers trained to sing Mozart in conservatories (because singing Mozart does not harm young voices, and
singing Verdi and Wagner before 30 ó better yet, 40 ó often will), sometimes turn to Mozartís contemporary, Cimarosa, and his Il Matrimonio Segreto, to get attention.
Handel’s Rodrigo ó Ensemble San Felice, St Johnís Smith Square, London
Handelís Rodrigo, subtitled ëVincer se stesso Ë la maggior vittoriaí (Self-conquest is the greater victory) is one of the composerís earliest operatic works, and rarely heard.
Tree-mendous in Chicago
Chicago Opera Theater scored a resounding success with its area premiere of John Adamsí newest stage piece, ìA Flowering Tree.î
Revised Amistad makes its mark
Upon its premiere at Chicagoís Lyric Opera in 1997 Anthony Davisí Amistad found little critical favor. Its undisciplined excesses led one writer to compare it to a high-school pageant.
Merry Widow at ENO
In these days of ‘concept’ productions, it is rare that the curtain goes up on the first act of an opera and it looks exactly as one might reasonably expect it to.
Masterpiece Masterfully Rendered in Toronto
I can still remember my first ever ìPelleas et Melisandeî in my first ever outing at San Francisco Opera during my first ever visit to that beautiful town.
A Berlin Sampler
A recent visit to Berlin’s three opera houses yielded decidedly, nay wildly varying outcomes.
Books ‘n Things
Two excellent books on opera have come to hand, providing many hours of entertaining reading. I combine notice of them with a few thoughts about composer Paul Moravecís CDs, and his forthcoming opera premiere at Santa Fe Opera in 2009.