Category Archives: Uncategorized

Never smile at the brass.

The review in this morning’s paper by Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim reminds me of story told to me by one of my early mentors, Dick Kapuscinski, Oberlin cello professor and principal cello at the Boston Symphony for decades. Dick related that at a BSO rehearsal with conductor Fritz Reiner, the players were frustrated by his economic …

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Portraits of Pain at the Prototype Festival

The opera-theater festival’s two big shows, ‘prism’ and ‘4.48 Psychosis,’ portray varieties of mental chaos. A scene from Ellen Reid’s ‘prism’ at the Prototype Festival Photo: Maria Baranova 0 Comments By Heidi Waleson Jan. 9, 2019 4:50 p.m. ET New York The opera-theater pieces of the Prototype Festival tackle unconventional subjects, often in uncomfortable ways, …

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‘Adriana Lecouvreur’ Review: More Than a Diva Showcase

Francesco Cilea’s opera isn’t a top-tier work, but the David McVicar production at the Met elevates it to new levels. Piotr Beczala as Maurizio and Anna Netrebko in the title role of Francesco Cilea’s ‘Adriana Lecouvreur’ Photo: Ken Howard/Met Opera By Heidi Waleson Jan. 3, 2019 3:02 p.m. ET New York Francesco Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” …

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