A Political Lesson in the Prodigal Son
A revisit to New York City Ballet recently set me thinking about families, and forgiveness, and welcome. One of Balanchine’s …
Category Archives: Music
Camera Obscura: Christmas Edition
The golden voiced Cantori New York gave a choral concert on Sunday. Sitting there listening to their beautiful renditions of …
Purposeful Enchantment
In a documentary about the late English ballerina Margot Fonteyn, her one-time partner Robert Helpmann said that she had a …
The Weary Brow
At our first choral rehearsal of the season, our music director admonished us for eye rolling when requested to sing …
Call to Remembrance: David Clark Isele
Last week we lost David Clark Isele, composer, conductor, teacher and friend. I first met David as a shy freshman …
Vanity Fair and Foul
On a recent visit to the Metropolitan Opera, I saw the magnificent Nina Stemme sing the title role in Strauss’ …
Singing Missa
When I told my beloved dissertation advisor and now emeritus professor that my chorus was preparing Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis for …
Shards of Light
Many years ago as a student in Strasbourg, France, I had many great conversations with Mme. Farès, the middle-aged cleaning …
What does Golde think?
In the newest revival of the beloved musical “Fiddler on the Roof”, currently running on Broadway, Tevye is played with …
Mr. McNally Goes to the Opera
Fans of the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts on Saturday afternoons, and especially the opera quiz, will remember the playwright Terrence …
Poets' Sinews 