This year is Thomas Adés’ annus mirabilis. He’s the subject of a major, six-week retrospective at the Barbican, and, of course, will be a major presence at the Aldeburgh Festival.
Category: Reviews
The Gondoliers — English National Opera
Speaking to a trusted chorus-member friend after this performance, I was told that I had benefited from not having seen this production when new three months ago.
LA Opera “Recovered Voices”
Just about halfway though his first season as music director of Los Angeles Opera, James Conlon has already made himself an endearing and appreciated figure.
Native-American Drama at Opera Omaha
Perhaps the gestation period for ìWakondaís Dream,î premiered by Opera Omaha on March 7, was too long.
WAGNER: Die Walk¸re; Gˆtterd‰mmerung
Two weeks before viewing these DVDís, I attended a performance of the same opera at De Vlaamse Opera in a new production by Ivo van Hove; Flemish boss of the most important Amsterdam theatre company.
PUCCINI: La Bohème
With the distance of time, is it allowable to feel affection for Herbert von Karajan, beyond any respect — grudging or otherwise — for his long, starry career?
WAGNER: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Recorded between 18 and 29 June 1984 at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, this production of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nűrnberg makes a classic presentation of the opera available in a two-DVD set issued in 2006 by Deutsche Grammophon.
Verdi Gala from Berlin
This concert was given on New Year’s eve in the year 2000, and the frail Claudio Abbado who
comes out to conduct makes for an alarming sight.
Berlin “Ring” remains a sterling achievement
It was in the “Orwell year” 1984 that Götz Friedrich, general manager — Intendant — of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (DOB) from 1983 until his death in 2000, staged the first half of Wagner’s “Ring des Nibelungen” in the 1900-seat house on Berlin’s Bismarckstrasse.
OONY Performs Cilèa’s L’Arlesiana
It is well known that the Opera Orchestra of New York’s performances are required events for
opera aficionados to hear the the most exciting performances of the season.