The five-note opening phrase of Ernst Krenek’s 1928 Little Symphony–– launched by the contrabassoon, then echoing through the orchestra––almost sounds like a question. Its two upward leaps are both followed by a … » Read

SAN FRANCISCO—Their mouths pulled in close to eight floor-mounted boom mikes arranged in a wide semi-circle, Roomful of Teeth set in right away making some strange and wondrous sounds from the Herbst Theater stage on January 25. Founded in … » Read

LOS ANGELES—Walt Disney Concert Hall is “not an opera house”—as its architect Frank Gehry is quick to point out—but that hasn’t stopped the Los Angeles Philharmonic from trying to make it simulate one. Over its … » Read

HOUSTON—This city’s major opera company pulled out all stops for its new production of Parsifal , seen January 19 th . Directed by John Caird and not seen here since 1992, it was originally planned for 2021, but was postponed due to … » Read

On Jan. 18 Dalia Stasevska made a triumphant return to the podium in Davies Symphony Hall with a program of Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World and Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto with pianist Seong-Jin Cho making his … » Read

Atom Egoyan’s 2008 film Adoration seems a dubious prospect for operatic adaptation. It centers on Simon, an orphaned high-school student, who becomes convinced that his late father was a Palestinian terrorist. The film tells much of its … » Read

NEW YORK—Hilary Hahn is an artist much in demand and reaping the rewards of her artistry. As reported last week, the violinist was awarded the $100,000 Avery Fisher Prize onstage at Friday, January 12th’s concert at David Geffen Hall. … » Read

Angel Island explores a mostly forgotten but nonetheless horrific chapter of American history. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 barred Chinese immigrants from entering the U.S. and stayed largely in effect until the 1960s. To enter the U.S., … » Read

LONDON—The final leg of Covent Garden’s 2023/24 season got underway January 13 with Christof Loy’s pandemic-delayed new production of Richard Strauss’s Elektra . With outgoing Music Director Sir Antonio Pappano at the helm … » Read

LONDON—The London Symphony Orchestra’s Janácek-in-concert series launched pre-pandemic with The Cunning Little Vixen , masterfully captured on the orchestra’s in-house label LSO Live. Last year’s incandescent … » Read