Robert Israel

Concert Review: Singer/Composer Jon Batiste — Raising Spirits

July 2, 2025
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Jon Batiste’s performance resonated with what musician Zachary Richard calls the “holy trinity” of Louisiana music: Cajun, zydeco, and “old-fashioned” rock and roll.

Theater Interview: Hip-Hopper Baba Israel on “I Spy an Adventure!”

July 1, 2025
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“When you collaborate with an audience and other artists, and you let hip hop flow and intertwine, anything goes.”

Book Review: “A Remarkable Man” — Surviving the Unthinkable

June 24, 2025
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Still, even with its flaws, this short book is an important contribution to literature by and about atomic bomb survivors because it underlines their indispensable value as witnesses.

Visual Arts Interview: Matthew Teitelbaum — A Decade of Leadership at MFA/Boston

May 30, 2025
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“The MFA is a place that really matters to a lot of people, and it is the safety of this place that matters and its commitment to excellence. These are things that must never be compromised.”

Theater Review: “The Obligation to Live” — Defying the Machinery of Death

April 25, 2025
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The emphasis of the B&P troupe has become increasingly apocalyptic: the struggle we are engaged in is for nothing less than the preservation of our planet, and for the preservation of our individual — and collective ––hearts and minds.

Theater Review: “Carousel” — One More Spin of the Wheel

April 6, 2025
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Despite all the Boston Lyric Opera pageantry and talent, “Carousel”‘s trip to the 21st century turns out to be bumpy.

Theater Review: “Don’t Eat the Mangos” — Women Battling Repression and Superstition

April 3, 2025
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The Huntington Theatre Company’s production of “Don’t Eat the Mangos” commands attention with its blend of entertainment and enlightenment.

Theater Review: A Powerful “Parade” — Witnessing a Dark Chapter in American History

March 14, 2025
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The sprawling cast — 30-plus players — under Michael Arden’s direction performs with verve; they deliver outstanding performances and have excellent singing chops.

Theater Review: “Crumbs from the Table of Joy” — Lost in the Past

January 13, 2025
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At its best, this script offers an opportunity for audiences to cast a backward glance at the first stirrings of dramatist Lynn Nottage’s prolific canon.

Television Review: “The Piano Lesson” — An Invaluable Tutorial

November 26, 2024
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Suffice it to say that this film version of “The Piano Lesson” does playwright August Wilson proud. 

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