by Sedgwick Clark It’s a most improbable New York story: Broadway salutes a theater critic, of all things, by dimming its lights during prime box-office time prior to curtain. How often has that happened? No one would have been more astonished to receive this honor than its recipient, Howard Kissel, theater critic of the New […]
Read the rest of this article »Ten years later, I saw Crystal Pite’s “Dark Matters.” Her choreography augured a new movement style, a “Matrix”-like sense of physical wonder. On January 24 at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), Pite’s choreography enthralled the audience. At the end of “The You Show,” made in 2010 with her company Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM, Pite and her eight dancers received a standing ovation.
Read the rest of this article »by James Conlon On February 15, one of the great men of opera passed away. Charles Anthony will be long remembered for the stunning statistics of his career at the Metropolitan Opera: 2,928 performances of 111 roles in 69 operas in 57 years. He appeared there more than any other artist in the Met’s history. […]
Read the rest of this article »By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. It has been pointed out to me that in my column last week, I inadvertently misspelled the name of the author of an article entitled “Being a Professional Chorister” which appeared on Laura Claycomb’s website. His correct name is Martin L. Poock. My apologies to […]
Read the rest of this article »by Sedgwick Clark First New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert as a Musical America blogger and now Los Angeles Opera Music Director James Conlon. Welcome Maestro Conlon! His blog, entitled “A Rich Possession,” made its debut last Thursday, February 16, and demonstrated that those who love the arts really can make a difference. All […]
Read the rest of this article »by James Conlon Public school districts throughout the country are struggling to meet mandated requirements with shrinking budgets. In such times, school boards are forced to make wrenching choices. The Los Angeles School Board met on February 14 to consider the elimination of a number of programs, including all elementary school arts instruction. The public […]
Read the rest of this article »By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. Congratulations to soprano, Amy Oraftik, whose question below won Second Prize in The Ask Edna First Anniversary contest. Amy wins a free review of her press kit or website. Dear Edna: I am an opera singer who recently graduated from school. In my first year […]
Read the rest of this article »by Sedgwick Clark Am I the only one who found Audra McDonald’s Bess jarring? The controversial pared-down adaptation of Porgy and Bess now on Broadway—updated, rewritten, politicized, feminized, call it what you will—was initially attacked by Stephen Sondheim prior to its Cambridge tryout last summer, sight unseen, for having the audacity to change the text. […]
Read the rest of this article »By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. Congratulations to Patricia Goodson who is Third Prize winner of the Ask Edna First Anniversary contest, affording her a free review of her resume. I am grateful to all of you who submitted questions and will be answering many of them in the coming months. […]
Read the rest of this article »by Sedgwick Clark Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic are on a European tour for a couple of weeks, and for a change I didn’t roll my eyes in despair when I saw the list of repertoire. His predecessors as music director, Kurt Masur and Lorin Maazel, for all their superb work at building […]
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