The Classical Review

Met’s “Kavalier & Clay” mixes stunning production with largely lightweight music

Andrzej Filończyk (left) and Myles Mykkanen in Mason Bates’ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay at the Metropolitan ...
The Classical Review

Outstanding new opera, “Loving v. Virginia,” makes a moving debut

Flora Hawk and Jonathan Michie star in the world premiere of Damien Geter’s Loving v. Virginia at Virginia Opera. Photo: Dave Pearson Virginia Opera is marking its golden anniversary season in the ...
The Classical Review

Dubious “Dutchman” and trenchant “Tosca” refract two classics through modern lenses at Santa Fe Opera

Nicholas Brownlee and Elza van den Heever in Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman at Santa Fe Opera. Photo: Curtis Brown/SFO General director Robert Meya has given Wagner fans cause to rejoice: Santa Fe Opera ...
The Classical Review

A beautiful, riveting tragedy with Chicago Symphony’s Mahler Sixth

Jaap van Zweden conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 Thursday night. Photo: Todd Rosenberg With multiple street closures and exits off the Drive shut down for a race in ...
The Classical Review

Santa Fe Opera rounds out comeback season with brilliant Verdi and Wagner

Quinn Kelsey stars in the title role of Verdi’s Falstaff at Santa Fe Opera. Photo: Curtis Brown The most complex works on the stage this summer at Santa Fe Opera came at the end of the first full week ...
The Classical Review

Muti wraps the Chicago Symphony’s season with a powerful Verdi Requiem (again)

Riccardo Muti conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Verdi’s Requiem with soloists Elena Guseva (left) and Marianne Crebassa. Photo: Todd Rosenberg When the current Chicago Symphony ...
The Classical Review

Rattle, Bavarian Symphony deliver a brilliant, devastating Mahler tragedy

Sir Simon Rattle conducted the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 Sunday at Orchestra Hall. Photo: Todd Rosenberg It’s been 15 years since Sir Simon Rattle last visited ...
The Classical Review

Philadelphia’s BalletX navigates uncertain times with ingenuity

Presenting dance performances during a global pandemic is a test of ingenuity and perseverance. On Wednesday night, the Philadelphia-based BalletX beautifully rose to the challenge. Three short films ...
The Classical Review

Seraphic Fire’s new CD captures the beauty and mystery of Hildegard

Seraphic Fire. Hildegard von Bingen: Ordo Virtutum (SFM). The first thing one notes about Seraphic Fire’s assured new recording of Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum is the sound. When von Bingen ...
The Classical Review

Santa Fe Opera returns with courageous yet musically flawed premiere of “M. Butterfly”

Kangmin Justin Kim as Song Liling and Mark Stone as René Gallimard in the world premiere of Huang Ruo’s M. Butterfly at Santa Fe Opera. Photo: Curtis Brown The Santa Fe Opera is back. After 2020, the ...
The Classical Review

Mäkelä and Concertgebouw signal the start of a beautiful friendship in DC

Klaus Mäkelä conducted the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Sunday at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. File photo: Marco Borggreve Klaus Mäkelä will become chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw ...
The Classical Review

Three finalists take impressive last shots in Cliburn Competition

Evren Ozel performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with Marin Alsop and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Friday night at the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Fort Worth. Photo: Ralph Lauer It was ...