VIEWPOINTS – Broadway talents take on 80s rock and jazz: ANTHONY RAPP & ADAM PASCAL at 54 Below, DEZ DURON at Joe’s Pub

This past week, a couple of Broadway talents took to the cabaret stage to show off their prowess beyond the bounds of musical theater. These would be trailblazing Rent stars … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Dashing leading men at 54 Below: EPHRAIM SYKES and CASEY LIKES revel in their musical inspirations

This past week at 54 Below, the indispensable Theater District cabaret club played host to a pair of dashing Broadway leading men, both of whom reveled in their musical inspirations. … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Eclectic symphonic forms: The blockbuster return of Glenn Branca’s HALLUCINATION CITY, Nézet-Séguin’s completist quest continues with MAHLER 4

Even in the midst of summer, New York music lovers have been able to take in a slew of memorable and eclectic performances in the city’s major concert halls. Read … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Nightlife roundup: CYRILLE AIMÉE croons at Birdland, MEGHAN MURPHY delivers larger-than-life camp at 54 Below

In the past weeks, I’ve been able to take my feet off the pedal a little bit, which has afforded me the opportunity to lean back and enjoy a number … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Exuberant cabaret nights: SETH SIKES celebrates Judy’s 104th, SALTY BRINE ecstatically leans in on storytelling, and NORM LEWIS is all giddy showmanship

With the 2025/2026 theater season firmly behind us, I’ve had wonderful recent opportunities to leave my cares behind and close out my lengthening days with exuberant nights at the cabaret. … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Assessing a pair of dynamic installations: The artistry of happenstance in Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s CLINAMEN and Troy Schumacher’s TRANSLATION

This past week, I had the opportunity to take in a pair of unique installation-like experiences — each in drastically opposing scale — that paid careful attention to the artistry … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Classical music roundup: EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO is a vibe at The Met, LISE DAVIDSEN dazzles at Carnegie Hall with an all-Schubert recital

With the recent conclusion of The Metropolitan Opera’s 2025/2026 season, it seems a good time to look back at the final new opera of the company’s season, composer Gabriela Lena … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Nightlife roundup: ANGEL BLUE experiments with cabaret at 54 Below, ROBIN MCKELLE channels Ella Fitzgerald, et al. at Birdland

As per usual, I’ve been augmenting my primetime theatergoing with a fair number of nightlife outings, largely to get better acquainted with performers as their authentic selves. As always, read … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Classical music roundup: Maestro Janowski returns to lead the NY PHILHARMONIC, the great Marin Alsop conducts Beethoven and Marsalis via the PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA

Over the past week or so, I had the great pleasure of catching notable performances by the New York Philharmonic at its home base at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Intimate opera with high stakes impact: THE POST OFFICE gets philosophical (and political) at BAM, Heartbeat Opera’s stylish VANESSA packs a punch

Those of you looking to expand your opera-going experience beyond the Metropolitan Opera should turn your attention to the occasional intimate opera productions occurring across the city. In the past … Continue Reading →