LONDON—Ancient Greece was at the heart of this October 3 presentation by the BBC Concert Orchestra (BBCCO) at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. A mixture of old and new, the program had been thoughtfully curated. A pity, then, that the … » Read

The Pacific Symphony and its first new music director in 35 years are looking like a promising partnership, according to Orange County Register critic Timothy Mangan. This marks Alexander Shelley's first season since  succeeding longtime … » Read

The operas of composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang often carry their share of polemics. Their 2018 work An American Soldier is an outraged response to the racist hazing, and eventual suicide, of the Chinese-American G.I. Danny … » Read

First impressions matter, so a lot was riding on the inaugural concert on Oct. 2 by Harmonium of Texas, the new orchestra founded by Jeffrey Kahane in San Antonio. For the past five years, since the demise of the San Antonio Symphony in 2022 , … » Read

LONDON—Wagner’s final opera used to be presented as a life-enriching spiritual experience, its musical sensuality in thrall to a religious message preaching forgiveness and redemption. In recent decades, however, directors have been … » Read

CHICAGO—Chicago is blessed with two top-flight ensembles specializing in early music: The Newberry Consort, which celebrates its 40 th anniversary this season, and Haymarket Opera Company, founded in 2010. On their own, they are period … » Read

SAN FRANCISCO— Simon Boccanegra has always been a difficult opera to bring off. Even Verdi had to remake it, returning nearly a quarter-century after the unsuccessful 1857 premiere to revise it substantially with Arrigo Boito’s … » Read

LONDON—Finnish violinist and conductor Pekka Kuusisto is a bona fide original, making him an apt partner for the U.K.'s Aurora orchestra, best known for its penchant for performing complex scores from memory. The second half of this … » Read

In September, Gustavo Dudamel officially became the New York Philharmonic’s 27th music director; he has by now conducted a kick-off concert at Radio City Music Hall, a 9/11 Memorial Concert at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, and two … » Read

CHICAGO—Klaus Mäkelä, it seems, really, really wants to spend time with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The acclaimed young Finnish conductor doesn’t officially become the CSO’s 11 th music director until fall 2027. … » Read