CLASSICAL MUSIC

by Joanna Barouch - November 14, 2025

For fifty years Orpheus has been confounding and amazing audiences with their exceptional variety of repertoire, its fine execution, and overall excellence, all without a conductor on a podium. ...

by Ron Bierman - November 12, 2025

What did our critic think of WHERE THE SHINING TRUMPETS BLOW at Jacobs Music Center? Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magical Horn) is a collection of more than 700 German folk poems and songs compiled in the early 19th Century. Several notable composers, including Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, ...

by Armando Urdiales - October 27, 2025

What did our critic think of PORGY AND BESS at Houston Grand Opera? As Houston performing arts ventures grow for the 2025-26 season, Houston Grand Opera surpasses them all with a thrilling 50th anniversary production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. S...

by Ron Bierman - October 17, 2025

What did our critic think of ROMANTIC VISIONS at Jacobs Music Center? Conductor Rafael Payare showed why in a performance driven with his usual gymnastic vigor....

by Ron Bierman - October 06, 2025

What did our critic think of OPERA À LA CARTE'S PRODUCTION OF OFFENBACH'S ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD at St. Peter's Episcopal Church Of Del Mar? With even large companies struggling to survive, why did soprano and voice teacher Abla Hamza decide to found Opera À La Carte? Her goals were laudable. As...

by Kat Mokrynski - September 15, 2025

After 86 concerts spanning over the past eight weeks, the 130th season of the Proms has come to a close, ending with the iconic Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, which has hosted over 3,000 musicians these past few months. This performance brings together the BBC Singers, BBC Symphon...

by Aliya Al-Hassan - September 08, 2025

South African soprano Golda Schultz is always a treat to hear; with honeyed tones, rich storytelling and nimble versatility, the programme at Saturday's prom was an excellent vehicle to show off her considerable skills....

by Cheryl Markosky - September 06, 2025

'Who doesn't check twice behind the shower curtain now?' asks presenter Edith Bowman, kicking off a spinetingling evening of thriller film soundtracks from the excellent BBC Concert Orchestra, under the assured direction of American conductor Edwin Outwater at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall....

by Debbie Gilpin - September 02, 2025

Written between 1930 and 1932, The Lady Macbeth of the Mtensk District was first performed in 1934 - and received a scathing write-up in the Pravda newspaper in 1936, due to its graphic sexual violence and murderous female lead. Whilst it alludes to Shakespeare’s infamous character, the opera is act...

by Matthew Paluch - September 01, 2025

Experiencing art in a former car park is never going to get old - cold perhaps - so I was glad to return to Bold Tendencies to sample their 2025 season titled Déjà vu. ...