THE HANGOVER REPORT – Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Jean-Guihen Queyras, and Rosas ravish in the distilled MITTEN WIR IM LEBEN SIND

To coincide with this week’s opening of the controversial Broadway revival of West Side Story, the iconic Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker this weekend at NYU Skirball presented, for … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A propulsive LA TRAVIATA at the Met, led by a vocally resplendent Aleksandra Kurzak

I recently had a chance to revisit Michael Mayer’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera. Upon reassessment, I remain lukewarm to the year-old production and still do miss Willy … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Susan Graham returns to New York in a stirring evening-length concert inspired by Schumann’s FRAUENLIEBE UND -LEBEN

Along with millions of other Americans, I have long had a soft spot in my heart for star mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, who this week returned to New York (she now … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The New York Philharmonic responds radiantly to Simone Young, who conducts Britten, Elgar, and Dean

This week saw Simone Young return to lead the New York Philharmonic for the first time in more than two decades. The talented Australian conductor, who was recently named Music … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Met’s inadvertent concert presentation of Berlioz’s LA DAMNATION DE FAUST proves sonically glorious

This past weekend, I attended the opening performance of the Metropolitan Opera’s inadvertent concert presentation of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. I say inadvertent because the opera company had originally planned to … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – PROTOTYPE 2020 finds the new opera festival as adventurous and vital as ever

One of the highlights of the frigid winter months in New York is the opportunity to bask in Prototype, the vital annual festival celebrating new opera and music theater. This year’s edition … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Gustavo Dudamel triumphantly leads the NY PHILHARMONIC after an absence of more than a decade

This past week at the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, Gustavo Dudamel returned to conduct the New York Philharmonic after an absence of more than a decade. As if to compensate … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – UNDER THE RADAR: Reviews, Batch 2

Happily, my week proceeded with continued Under the Radar immersion. Here is my second batch of reviews. NOT I Touretteshero & Battersea Arts Centre (U.K.) On paper, staging Samuel Beckett’s Not I … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Alban Berg’s score darkly shimmers in William Kentridge’s disorienting new production of WOZZECK at the Met

Last night, I attended a performance of the new production of Alban Berg’s renegade one-act opera Wozzeck at the Metropolitan Opera. The staging is by renowned South African visual artist William Kentridge, who previously staged Berg’s Lulu and … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A pair of loving revivals of Victorian-era works charm audiences over the holidays: THE MIKADO & LONDON ASSURANCE

Also over the holidays, two loving revivals of arguably archaic 19th century British works charmed New York audiences. First in line was The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players’ new … Continue Reading →