Sharing Guy's Journey

Thoughts, comments, observations, reactions, enthusiasms

Music

Opera: Porgy and Bess – A Monumental New Look at an American Classic

By

When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to attend the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Porgy and Bess he seemed surprised. “Opera?” he asked. “I thought that was a Broadway musical.” Many people feel this way, in part because their experiences with Porgy and Bess have not come from hearing about the show as …

Opera: Welcoming The American Modern Opera Company

By

Opera folks, especially in the New York City area, seem to be continually grappling with the fact that there isn’t enough opera around. We have the grandest of the grand, of course, in our beloved Metropolitan Opera, but with the loss of New York City Opera a few years ago, there’s much talk about what …

A Performance of “Norma” for the Books (History Books, That Is)

By

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 front of the opera house. They were there to honor soprano Mariella Devia, who was singing the title …

Music in Midtown – A New York City Landmark Meets Extraordinary Talent

By

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 I’m pretty typical in that way. Anyone who reads these posts knows how much fun I have with all the music available …

Opera: Venice – A “La Traviata” from Our Own Time

By

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 famous alphabetical A-B-C: Aida, La Bohème, and Carmen), it remains steadfast in the repertory in almost every serious opera house. And in …