Berlin: Another “City of Music”?

My enthusiasm for musical performances seems to take on some sort of overwhelming urgency when I travel. As a result, I’ve been known to use the “city of music” description as I move about, especially in Europe. I’ve used the phrase when I write of Vienna (which really does call itself such in the city’s …

January 20, 2025: Honoring Dr. King

My calendar tells me that today is Martin Luther King Day. This federal holiday honors the civil rights leader and is also recognized as a national day of service, encouraging Americans to volunteer in their communities. And as we seek to speak with our friends, our children, our grandchildren, and, yes, for some of us, …

A Remarkable Opera Experience

The MET’s Die Frau ohne Schatten Although I’m writing from Berlin (after a fast journey from New York), I’m still basking in the glow of another remarkable performance at the Metropolitan Opera. And—not surprising anyone who knows me—I’m happy to share a few thoughts and my enthusiasm here. At last Wednesday’s performance of Die Frau …

Two Surprises at the Kröller-Müller Museum

The Kröller-Müller Museum, which Andrew and I visited last spring, is a lovely and relatively short drive from Amsterdam. As we see it, an excursion to the Kröller-Müller has to be one of the most rewarding experiences of any European visit. Recognized as having the second-largest Van Gogh collection in the world (the largest being—not …

Elephants Galore

Until October 20th, we New Yorkers can see a spectacular art installation here in the city. It’s called “The Great Elephant Migration,” and the project features 100 life-size sculptures of Indian elephants crafted over the last five years by the Coexistence Collective, a team of 200 Indigenous artisans from Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in South India. I gather from …