REVIEWS & ARTICLES

Categories
The Many Deaths of Laila Starr at Works & Process at the Guggenheim
Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr at Works & Process at the Guggenheim

A goddess of Death, fired from heaven, learns what it means to be alive—and if this glimpse at the Guggenheim is any measure, audiences will too. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr fuses raga, Konnakol, and pulsing EDM with soaring vocal writing, sumptuous design, and incandescent dance. Minnesota Opera’s 52nd world premiere is a once-in-a-generation event. Don’t merely read about it: be in the room at the Ordway in Saint Paul, October 31–November 8, 2026.

The Zerbinetta Aria: Gruberová Conquers Strauss’s Everest
FEATURE STORY
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

The Zerbinetta Aria: Gruberová Conquers Strauss’s Everest

Edita Gruberová sings Zerbinetta’s “Großmächtige Prinzessin” from Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, among the most punishing coloratura solos ever composed. Strauss wrote it for Frieda Hempel, but she had decamped to the Metropolitan Opera, and Margarethe Siems created the role at Stuttgart on October 25, 1912. The premiere drew luminaries and an orchestra of borrowed Italian strings. Molière’s framing play made the evening unwieldy; by 1916 a Prologue replaced it, and the aria was mercifully shortened.

Love is Not a Verdict: Teatro Grattacielo’s Così fan tutte at La MaMa
Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

Love is Not a Verdict: Teatro Grattacielo’s Così fan tutte at La MaMa

Rarely does a comedy leave you laughing and quietly undone at once. Teatro Grattacielo’s Così fan tutte did exactly that — Mozart made intimate, human, and wickedly alive. Do not let the story end here: explore the company’s upcoming season, from The Tempest to free opera in the park, and let this fearless troupe astonish you again very soon.

Young Virtuosos & Classic Magic: The Barbara Brandt Winners’ Concert with the PACS
Concerto
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

Young Virtuosos & Classic Magic: The Barbara Brandt Winners’ Concert with the PACS

Five teenage laureates, one believing orchestra, and an evening that proved to us why the concerto endures: as a stage for the brave individual voice. The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony’s 2025–26 season — including its immersive InsideOut Concerts — awaits the curious listener. Seek out the exciting 2026-27 season, take a seat in the sound, and let these musicians astonish you, too.

American Symphony Orchestra Conjures Romantic Fire at Carnegie Hall
Choral Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

American Symphony Orchestra Conjures Romantic Fire at Carnegie Hall

The American Symphony Orchestra is one of New York’s most adventurous, intellectually vital, and musically rewarding ensemble. Season after season, under Leon Botstein’s visionary leadership, they illuminate music the world has forgotten it needed. Their 2025–2026 season promises more of the same: revelatory repertoire, world-class soloists, and performances of thrilling conviction at Carnegie Hall. Don’t merely admire them from a distance — go. You will not regret it.

American Lyric Theater’s Luminous Anniversary Gala
Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

American Lyric Theater’s Luminous Anniversary Gala

American Lyric Theater’s twentieth-anniversary gala showcased extraordinary artistry and visionary mentorship, featuring sublime performances that affirmed opera’s vital contemporary relevance—Experience ALT’s transformative work and support tomorrow’s operatic masterpieces.

L’Amico Fritz: Teatro Grattacielo’s Captivating Revival of Mascagni’s Masterpiece
Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

L’Amico Fritz: Teatro Grattacielo’s Captivating Revival of Mascagni’s Masterpiece

In reclaiming L’Amico Fritz for contemporary audiences, Teatro Grattacielo reminds us that opera’s most significant power lies not in spectacle alone, but in its unmatched ability to make human hearts sing in recognition of their own most profound truths. This isn’t just opera—it’s an invitation to remember what it means to be fully, vulnerably, magnificently alive.

BLIND INJUSTICE: A Riveting Tour de Force by MasterVoices
Choral Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

BLIND INJUSTICE: A Riveting Tour de Force by MasterVoices

From its stirring overture to its heart-wrenching close, the performance was a triumph of musical and narrative synthesis, demonstrating the operatic form’s capacity to confront profound societal issues. Moreover, Blind Injustice transcends its medium, serving as both an artistic achievement and a call to action. The post-performance discussions with several exonerees were a vital extension of the opera’s message, grounding its art in lived experience. These conversations, as integral to the evening as the music itself, reinforced the opera’s urgent plea for reform.

Lucidity: A World Premiere by On Site Opera
Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

Lucidity: A World Premiere by On Site Opera

Experience a groundbreaking production of Lucidity: A World Premiere by On Site Opera, that explores the connection between music and science.

Opera in the Garden by the ON SITE OPERA
Music
Edward A Kliszus, Editor-in-Chief / Music and Arts Critic

Opera in the Garden by the ON SITE OPERA

NEW YORK – Opera in the Garden by the ON SITE OPERA, an artistic, musical triumph in a delightful natural setting in an intimate neighborhood park.

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr at Works & Process at the Guggenheim

PLEASE COMMENT & SIGN UP

More to Explore..

Buy Tickets to any Event, Show, or Game at Event Tickets Center TicketLiquidator Ticketclub.com