Tag Archives: writing

‘Vanessa’ Review: Heartbeat Opera’s Strident Samuel Barber

The New York company offers a stark, taxing adaptation of the composer’s 1958 work, which centers on a woman waiting for her long-gone lover’s return. By  Heidi Waleson May 18, 2026 at 4:28 pm ET Inna Dukach as Vanessa. RUSS ROWLAND Heartbeat Opera’s 100-minute adaptation of Samuel Barber’s “Vanessa”(1958) by company artistic director Jacob Ashworth, first presented last summer at …

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‘The Crucible’ Review: Washington National Opera’s Nimble Reset

Following its split with the Kennedy Center, the company has ably adapted to George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, where it is presenting a gripping staging of Robert Ward’s version of the Arthur Miller classic. By  Heidi Waleson March 23, 2026 at 5:01 pm ET A scene from the Washington National Opera production of ‘The Crucible.’ SCOTT SUCHMAN …

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