‘Turandot’ and ‘Shall We Gather at the River’ Reviews: Classics in New Contexts

Washington National Opera performed a world premiere production of Puccini’s work with a new final scene by Susan Soon He Stanton and Christopher Tin; at Park Avenue Armory, Peter Sellars directed a program of Bach cantatas and African-American spirituals presented as a call to action against climate change. By  Heidi Waleson May 22, 2024 at …

‘An American Soldier’ and ‘Les Fêtes de Thalie’ : Modern Tragedy and Baroque Comedy at the Opera‘An American Soldier’ and ‘Les Fêtes de Thalie’

With music by Huang Ruo and a libretto by David Henry Hwang, an opera at New York’s Perelman Performing Arts Center about a viciously bullied Army private proved taut and haunting; uptown, Opera Lafayette’s production of Jean-Joseph Mouret’s 1714 work was a skillful, snappy delight. By: Heidi Waleson May 14, 2024 Brian Vu and Alex DeSocio …

‘The Anonymous Lover’ and ‘Handel: Made in America’ Reviews: New Angles on the 18th Century

Boston Lyric Opera gave the work by Guadeloupe-born composer Joseph Bologne a snappy staging without making a strong case for its score, while MetLiveArts deftly put the more famous composer’s work in a global context. By Heidi Waleson  Ashley Emerson and Brianna J. Robinson in ‘The Anonymous Lover’ PHOTO: NILE SCOTT STUDIOS Boston and New York With opera …

Prototype Festival Review: Originality in Opera

The annual festival returned with an uneven slate of new works, from Huang Ruo’s oratorio ‘Angel Island’ to Heather Christian’s lively ‘Terce: A Practical Breviary.’ By  Heidi Waleson Jan. 16, 2024 at 5:30 pm ET A scene from ‘Angel Island’ PHOTO: MARIA BARANOVA New York and Brooklyn, N.Y. At its best, the annual Prototype Festival, coproduced by Beth …