Opera Teen
A Farewell of Sorts
At thirteen, when I first started writing and publishing under “Opera Teen” with such elaborate pieces such as “Why The Hunger Games Would Make a Great Opera,” a post that aggregated all the Youtube clips of opera references from The Muppet Show, and a call to arms against a twitter account that trolled Anna Netrebko […]
In the Arms of an Angel: The Exterminating Angel at the Metropolitan Opera
Amidst opulent, savage, dynamically varied music and arresting moments, innovative uses of the orchestra, and wide-ranging vocal writing, Adès opted to forsake the satire in Buñuel’s film for its darkness.
September Review Roundup
After a very busy couple of months, I’m excited to be back with some links to reviews I wrote of performances from the month of September. Both casts in Washington National Opera’s Aïda on Parterre Box The National Gallery’s concert presentation of Letters from Ruth on Washington Classical Review Signature Theatre’s production of A Little […]
Scheduled Programming: OT discusses “Carmen”
Read my recently-published program notes for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s new production of “Carmen”!
Mass Appeal: Gianandrea Noseda Leads London Symphony Orchestra in Verdi’s Requiem
Working with an ensemble that obviously had deep feeling for the music, Noseda drew thoughtful, balanced playing from the utterly responsive LSO. All throughout, his controlled-yet-fluid conducting reflected the grandiose scale of the piece, a monumental expression of mourning and human confrontation with death.
Rock-a-bye, Baby: “Jenůfa” at the Metropolitan Opera
With the white-knuckled Karita Mattila playing the upright, deeply conflicted Kostelnicka, it simply isn’t possible to look away.
Borrowed & Blue: “The Marriage of Figaro” at Washington National Opera
Washington National Opera opened its 2016-17 season last week with an uneven, unjaded, if not unenjoyable, performance of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro that just couldn’t turn separate “jinx” from the desired “hijinks.”
Audra McDonald and Philip Glass Honored with National Medal of Arts
Broadway and classical icon Audra McDonald and minimalist composer Philip Glass were among the 12 recipients of the 2015 National Medal of Arts which were awarded in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House this morning.
Summer School: “Così fan tutte” at the Mostly Mozart Festival
This was Così, straightforward and unaltered. While it would have been great to see Christophe Honoré’s provocative production, what arrived at Lincoln Center was a musical presentation of the highest quality.
Opera Teen 
Life Alert: Anna Netrebko Returns to “La Traviata” at La Scala
Please head over to Parterre Box to read my thoughts on Anna Netrebko’s magnificent return to the role of Violetta in La Traviata at Teatro alla Scala in Milan last week.