Munich’s Christmas Treasures: Massenet and Handel

Not all of Munich’s holiday delights are to be found at the just-opened annual Christmas Market filling the Marienplatz and environs.

Carmen at the Washington National Opera

From the director’s point of view, there are two ways to approach staging an opera.

The Tales of Hoffmann at Covent Garden

The opening performance of the ROH’s seventh revival of John Schlesinger’s 1980 production of The Tales of Hoffmann was
dedicated to the memory of Richard Hickox.

Debussy’s PellÈas – a fine swansong for Independent Opera in London

PellÈas et MÈlisande in a 200 seat theatre, with just 35 musicians and no pit?

Boris Godunov at ENO

There are two things which, in recent history, English National Opera has consistently done extremely well.

La Bohème in San Francisco

The show curtain was an illustration of the typical Parisian skyline.

Lulu-Palooza in the Windy City

Marlis Petersen, the much lauded “Lulu-du-jour,” brought her well-traveled portrayal of Berg’s complex heroine to Chicago Lyric Opera and she alone was almost worth the price of admission.

Matilde di Shabran at Covent Garden

The rare Rossini opera which brought Juan Diego FlÛrez to international attention in Pesaro in 1996 was thrown together by the composer at the last minute to meet a deadline in February 1821, with a plot from one source and characters from another, and bits of the score filled in by Pacini.

Doctor Atomic and Arjuna’s Dilemma

As Tom Stoppard put it, “There is an art to the building up of suspense.”

Opera in Germany

Following a recent visit to Germany, Wes Blomster surveys the vibrant opera scene in Berlin and Magdeburg.