Classical Music Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 6

Review: DIE LUSTIGE WITWE/THE MERRY WIDOW at Opera On The Lake
by Jared Fessler - July 27, 2022

What did our critic think of THE MERRY WIDDOW at Opera On The Lake? Opera On the Lake is thrilled to be bringing Franz Lehar's operetta masterpiece to life at the Como Lakeside Pavilion on July 26, 27, and 29, 2022!...

Review: SUOR ANGELICA at Clayton Wesley Uniting Church
by Barry Lenny - July 24, 2022

An intimate and sensitive performance....

Review: MANON at Opera Wroclaw
by Natalia Jarczynska - July 21, 2022

What did our critic think of MANON at Opera Wroclaw? Manon has it all. Great duets, splendor, fantastic music, great scenography, perfect choir, and harmonious choreographies. This opera comique from the 19th century has a big come back after 40 years of absence on polish scenes, last production in ...

Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Des Moines Metro Opera
by DC Felton - July 13, 2022

Starting a theatre company is no easy feat, but for a theatre to be around for 50 years is something worth celebrating. You can celebrate 50 years with Des Moines Metro Opera this summer, which just opened up its 50th season with two spectacular productions. The season opened up a sold-out run of Th...

BWW Review: OTELLO, Royal Opera House
by Gary Naylor - July 13, 2022

Russell Thomas, Christopher Maltman and Hrachuhi Bassénz excel in an emotional and relevant production of Verdi's adaptation of Shakespeare's masterful study of jealousy, ruthlessness and much more....

Review: OTTERBEIN'S PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Cowen Hall
by Paul Batterson - July 14, 2022

What did our critic think of BWW REVIEWS: OTTERBEIN’S PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Cowen Hall? Otterbein University offers a much-needed refresher course in Gilbert and Sullivan with its presentation of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE for its final production of the summer season. The two-act comedic musical clo...

Review: SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY CONCERT at The Rady Shell
by Ron Bierman - July 03, 2022

What did our critic think of SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY CONCERT at The Rady Shell?...

Review: JOHN WILLIAMS 90TH BIRTHDAY GALA CONCERT at Kennedy Center
by Elliot Lanes - June 27, 2022

109 film scores, lots of symphonic music, and the music you hear during the Olympics doesn't even begin to properly describe a true living musical legend like John Williams. His 50 years and 29 film association with Steven Spielberg is the longest relationship in film between a director and a compos...

BWW Review: MADAME BUTTERFLY at Opera Wroclaw
by Natalia Jarczynska - June 20, 2022

If you want to witness the materialization of the word beauty, see this show. With thrilling voices, amazing Puccini music, and vital presentation this opera will lead you straight to musical heaven....

BWW Review: AKHNATEN at the Met Opera
by George Weinhouse - May 26, 2022

One of the greatest successes of recent Met seasons is Philip Glass's AKHNATEN, first seen in 2019.I saw it three times that year and fell under its spell each time.It is being revived this season....

BWW Review: SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY CONCERT at Rady Shell Amphitheater
by Ron Bierman - May 25, 2022

Musical impressionism ruled the San Diego Symphony’s early-evening Rady Shell concert this past weekend. First came conductor-composer Esa-Pekka Salonen’s reaction to Nyx, a daughter of Chaos, the earliest Greek god. Nyx, rarely mentioned in extant ancient Greek-literature, is goddess of the night, ...

BWW Review: CARMEN at The Kennedy Center
by Rachael F. Goldberg - May 24, 2022

While this production of 'Carmen' is very traditional on its face, the thoughtfulness and sheer talent packed into this performance elevates it to something far more engaging, and absolutely enchanting. It’s more than worthy of audiences’ time, and hopefully WNO’s fresh interpretation will help audi...

BWW Review: PARK AVENUE CHAMBER SYMPHONY's Mahler's Fifth at DiMenna Center
by Joanna Barouch - May 23, 2022

When some people hear the word 'community' before the word(s) chorus, theater, band, or orchestra, they really hear 'amateur.' Although amateur means to do something for the love of it, the word also seems to have a negative connotation when it comes to quality. After all, if there's no money involv...

BWW Review: Odyssey Records Recording of HENRY VIII by Saint-Saens
by George Weinhouse - May 20, 2022

A new recording of Saint-Saens's opera HENRY VIII, by Odyssey Opera, has come my way. It is a complete version of the work which is dated 1883. Odyssey Opera is a company dedicated to the performance of operas that are out of the mainstream but are deemed worthy of recognition. ...

BWW Review: San Diego Opera's Production of AGING MAGICIAN at The Balboa Theatre Shows Off Magical Mystery
by Ron Bierman - May 20, 2022

'What the hell was that?' an opera fan asked her friend as we shuffled into a parking-garage elevator. Not an easily answered question after a viewing of AGING MAGICIAN. Ambiguity abounds and reality is mixed with fantasy. The reality side is clear, mostly. Harold is a middle-aged watch repairman...

BWW Review: ST. MATTHEW PASSION at Carnegie Hall
by George Weinhouse - May 17, 2022

Bernard Labadie led a transcendent performance of Bach's ST.MATTHEW PASSION at Carnegie Hall....

BWW Review: ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK SPRING CONCERT at Carnegie Hall
by Joanna Barouch - May 15, 2022

Bible stories are not always the easiest to listen to, and sometimes have the net effect of putting the listener to sleep. When Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was inspired to write about the life of the prophet Elijah, however, he took the story to the next level...

BWW Review: LA TRAVIATA's Powerhouse Cast and Crew Provide a Timeless, Stunning Production of The Verdi Classic at the Canadian Opera Company
by Isabella Perrone - April 27, 2022

The Canadian Opera Company marked its return-to-stage after nearly two years with this all-around stunning production of one of Verdi’s most well-known works. Clocking in at just shy of three hours, the four-act opera tells the tale of Parisian courtesan Violetta (Amina Edris, making her COC debut) ...

BWW Review: THE PEARL FISHERS Proves to Be a Real Catch at The Dallas Opera
by Zac Thriffiley - April 06, 2022

The Dallas Opera's production of Bizet's THE PEARL FISHERS acts as a satisfying palate cleanser, providing the talent audiences have come to expect from the company as well as a dream of a show....

BWW Review: UCO Opera's THE CONSUL Is a Haunting Tale of Caution
by Adrienne Proctor - April 05, 2022

UCO's opera department offers a cautionary tale. The Consul tells the story of one family trying to escape a country they can no longer call home. Though it ran on Broadway in 1950, it brings to mind current images that are seen on the news every night. Parallels to refugees and the bureaucratic sys...

BWW Review: EUGENE ONEGIN at the Metropolitan Opera
by George Weinhouse - March 29, 2022

The 2013 production of Tchaikovsky's Pushkin-inspired opera EUGENE ONEGIN has triumphantly returned to the Met. I attended the final dress rehearsal and can attest to the fact that the story of Tatyana's infatuation with, and later rejection of, the eponymous 'hero' is vocally in superb hands. Both ...

BWW Review: Plunge Into An ART BATH at The Blue Building
by Marakay Rogers - March 22, 2022

Violin, dance, opera singers and the sounds of Nina Simone are just a few possible experiences you can have at one time at The Blue Building....

BWW Review: THE LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY PRESENTS JOSHUA BELL AND THE ACADEMY OF SAINT MARTIN IN THE FIELDS at San Diego Civic Center
by Ron Bierman - March 18, 2022

When he was four-years old Joshua Bell's parents found him making music by plucking rubber bands stretched to different lengths on dresser drawers. Clearly, he needed a real instrument. Fortunately, they bought a violin rather than a guitar. Ten years later he was the youngest ever to solo with the ...

BWW Review: RESPIGHI'S PINES OF ROME & JOYCE YANG at Colorado Symphony
by Jon Bee - March 17, 2022

In their recent concert, the Colorado Symphony opened with Apu: Tone Poem for Orchestra before moving on to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24, K. 491 featuring guest artist Joyce Yang, piano....

BWW Review: NY Pops Enchants With GET HAPPY: THE NELSON RIDDLE SOUND at Carnegie Hall
by Ricky Pope - March 17, 2022

Nelson Riddle, the legendary arranger/orchestrator/composer is largely responsible for what we think of as the sound of The Great American Songbook. His arrangements and orchestrations for artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Johnny Mathis,...