Thoughts, comments, observations, reactions, enthusiasms
Of the three operas I heard at La Fenice last May, the one I will not forget is Bellini's Norma. When I arrived at La Fenice, all of Venice, it seemed, had crowded into Campo San Fantin in …
Continue Reading about A Performance of “Norma” for the Books (History Books, That Is) →
New Yorkers aren't known for being shy about what they like about their hometown (even if they're originally from somewhere else). Sometimes, though, there's just so much we can't share it all. And …
Continue Reading about Music in Midtown – A New York City Landmark Meets Extraordinary Talent →
Is there any opera that is talked about (or written about) as often as La Traviata? Who knows? And while La Traviata is not one of the much referred-to three most popular operas in the world (the …
Continue Reading about Venice: A “La Traviata” from Our Own Time →
On a visit to Venice last year, several performances gave new meaning (for me) to the common perception of Venice as an important musical destination. There seemed to be performances of classical …
As we have now closed our 100th anniversary year of the end of World War I, a few additional comments seem in order. I am not any sort of beat-the-drum patriot but I somehow had the feeling back on …
Continue Reading about Final (Perhaps) Thoughts about World War One →
I have been intrigued about the First World War ever since I was a young man. I can't pinpoint any particular reason for thinking this way – other than the fact that history, in general, has …