Category: Performances

Richard Wagner’s 200th birthday is just around the corner in 2013 — and the composer was, after all, born in Leipzig.

Mozart was reputedly more attached to this musical drama of hubris and honour set during the Trojan War than to any other of his stage works.

This recital was the last in a series of five put together by Roger Vignoles
to celebrate the lieder of Richard Strauss — a series which, comprising
85 of Strauss’ songs, has highlighted the composer’s role as heir
to the nineteenth-century German lieder masters and reminded us of the
ravishing beauty and varied emotional range of these unjustly neglected
songs.

With Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ stunning A Little Night
Music, at long last we have been treated to a multi-faceted production
that not only equals, but in many ways surpasses the dazzling original.

Early Greek writings say that Orpheus was the son of the muse Calliope and either Apollo, the god of prophecy and music or Oeagrus, the river god.

Paris OpÈra recently served up two past productions in vibrant performances that were fresh-as-new.

Gyˆrgy Ligeti (1923-2006) was a naughty boy, and he reveled in it.

The opening tableau of Penny Woolcock’s new production depicts deep waters with rays of sun hitting the surface; in the murky blue depths, three harnessed acrobats glide down to the sea bed and back up again.

It was more the ruins than the remnants of a once-great voice that Jessye Norman brought to Israel’s new, 6500-seat outdoor opera theater at the foot of historic Masada Mountain.