LONDON—One of the refreshing things about Antonio Pappano’s tenure at the London Symphony Orchestra is his willingness to upend the tired old formula of ‘‘Overture, Concerto, Symphony’’—that and an … » Read

When Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s opera Dead Man Walking had its world premiere at the San Francisco Opera in 2000, I took to the pages of the San Francisco Chronicle and pronounced it a “masterpiece.” I did it with the … » Read

CHICAGO—Not all that long ago, electronics were a lifeline for Conrad Tao. Feeling creatively stunted during the pandemic, the pianist and composer sought a way to emulate playing with others in isolation. That led him to electronic patches … » Read

Opera has never shied away from catastrophe, but two of this summer’s Salzburg production premieres reminded us that Armageddon can unfold not only on battlefields or burning cities but within a single consciousness. One Morning Turns into … » Read

As a prominent member of the post-1945 European avant-garde, Pierre Boulez was eager to argue in favor of the new over the old. Even mentor figures such as Olivier Messiaen, or pioneering antecedents like Arnold Schoenberg, had their relevancy … » Read

Gustavo Dudamel’s current title at the New York Philharmonic is Music & Artistic Director Designate. But the September 11 opening night of the 2025–2026 season offered a good sense of what to expect in 2026-27, when he takes the … » Read

What better place than Salzburg to watch crowns slip? This summer’s twin portraits of rulers under pressure—Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto and Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda —offered two radically different dramaturgies … » Read

LONDON—Among some fairly scattergun programs at this year’s Proms, this September 7 concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Music Director Vasily Petrenko stood out for its cohesion and satisfying musical parallels. The … » Read

LONDON—It’s been a good year for Shostakovich with a series of worldwide celebrations in honor of his death. This September 1 BBC Prom at Royal Albert Hall was one of the more ambitious: a semi-staging of his opera Lady Macbeth of … » Read

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.—No one collects fast-rising young talent quite like Decca. Among those on the esteemed label’s artist roster are wundermaestro Klaus Mäkelä, violinist Randall Goosby , and, since 2022, Brazilian guitarist … » Read