Opera in Europe: Established but Adventurous

Recent productions in Germany and the Netherlands—of classics, curiosities and contemporary works by composers ranging from Strauss to Saariaho—powerfully exemplified the scene’s risk-taking artistic ethos. By  Heidi Waleson April 7, 2025 at 4:43 pm ET The company of Offenbach’s ‘Die Schöne Helena.’ PHOTO: IKO FREESE Berlin; Dresden, Germany; Amsterdam New Yorkers who visit Berlin often feel at home—the …

‘American Apollo,’ ‘Pelléas et Mélisande’ and ‘The Fairy Queen’ Reviews: Muses and Mirages at the Opera

Three operas portray the trancelike state of love, from a world-premiere production exploring the intimate bond between John Singer Sargent and his male studio model to Debussy’s classic tragedy and Purcell’s intoxicating adaptation of Shakespeare. By Heidi Waleson July 22, 2024 at 5:27 pm ET Justin Austin and William Burden in ‘American Apollo.’ PHOTO: CORY …

‘El Niño’ and ‘La ville morte’ Reviews: A Radiant Nativity Tale and a Lackluster Rarity

John Adams’s oratorio, which draws on a diverse set of texts to tell the biblical story, receives a joyful production at the Metropolitan Opera; at NYU’s Skirball Center, Catapult Opera presented the U.S. premiere of a work by the eminent 20th-century composition teacher Nadia Boulanger. By  Heidi Waleson April 25, 2024 at 7:00 pm ET Julia …