Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
Odyssey Opera
Classical CD Reviews: Listening During COVID, Part 3 –From Boston with Love (Performances of Haydn, Dello Joio, and Virgil Thomson).
Two new recordings and one much-welcome re-release contain first-rate performances of Haydn’s 1798 “Lord Nelson” Mass, Dello Joio’s opera about Joan of Arc, and Virgil Thomson’s astonishing musical portraits of Alice B. Toklas, Picasso, and others.
Opera CD Review: Gunther Schuller’s Splendid 1970 Children’s Opera Gets Its World-Premiere Recording
A Grimm, but not grim, opera about a Fisherman, his Wife, their Cat, and a wish-granting Flounder.
Opera Album Review, Oscar Wilde, Part 3 –A Spiffy “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Odyssey Opera revels in the glittering wit and touching moments of this full-length chamber opera by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, better known for his Hollywood film scores and some wonderful guitar pieces.
Concert Review: Odyssey Opera’s “The Chronicle of Nine”
Arnold Rosner’s writing in each act is strongly contrapuntal, metrically unpredictable, and idiomatically scored. The music is marked by constantly shifting colors, a strong sense of rhythm, and a healthy dose of lyricism.
Arts Commentary: 2019-20 Classical Music Preview
I’ve compiled a list of twelve concerts (or concert series) that I think will stand among the future season’s highlights.
Music Commentary: 2018-19 Boston Classical Music Fall Season Preview (Orchestras, Opera, and New Music, mainly)
There’s so much going on in the area that’s good that it’s a challenge to go wrong.
Music Commentary: Top Classical Performances and Recordings of 2017
A line-up of concerts, performances, and recordings that, as 2017 draws to its close, I can’t, for one reason or many, shake from my memory.
Classical Concert Review: Odyssey Opera’s “The Maid of Orléans”
Saturday’s performance ranked among Odyssey Opera’s finest and most artistically satisfying undertakings.
Commentary: 2017-18 Orchestral, Opera, and New Music Season Preview
Some institutions’ offerings aren’t as challenging as they could be, but there’s a healthy balance between the familiar and new.