LYON, FRANCE—Arrigo Boito’s saturnine Mephisto and this city’s distinctive opera house have much in common, although to call them soul mates might be a step too far. Within the benighted carapace of each there beats a heart of … » Read

In the late 1980’s Roger Norrington and his period-instruments band the London Classical Players offered annual weekend-long “experiences” on the South Bank, each devoted to a single composer. Their major works were performed … » Read

Most opera companies have a hard enough time operating one house but the Opéra National de Paris has two, a challenge it embraces as an opportunity. Indeed, in a conspicuous display of artistic strength, it will sometimes introduce a new … » Read

Site-specific art can offer the most immersive of experiences, as anyone will know who has attended Punchdrunk theater company’s Sleep No More , set in a block of Chelsea warehouses (reclaimed and reimagined as the fictional McKittrick … » Read

LONDON—Like an errant child, English National Opera prompts love and exasperation in equal measure, with the latter emotion intensified by the former. For a decade or more, London’s second company, whose name is rarely uttered these … » Read

If the New York Philharmonic’s opening gala was all about fresh starts and meeting the maestro, the second program in Jaap van Zweden’s inaugural season (heard Sept. 28) as the orchestra’s 26th music director had a strong sense … » Read

DRESDEN -- Americans commonly travel to Europe for festivals that offer opera companies at their peak with all-star casts and big-name conductors in often- ridiculous stagings. But what takes place in these houses on a run-of-the-mill Wednesday … » Read