The Lyric’s Don Giovanni Turns the Table on Opera’s Most Infamous Sex Abuser
It may seem odd that Don Giovanni, the opera premiered by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1787, has taken on new social relevance more than 230 years later. But the recently […]
Review: Rudolf Buchbinder Continued the Beethoven Celebration at Symphony Center
In the 2019-2020 season, Symphony Center Presents is marking Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday with, among things, performances of all 32 of that composer’s piano sonatas. That cycle continued on […]
Review: Music of the Baroque: No Animals—Or Music—Harmed in The Chase
The five pieces in Music of the Baroque’s latest concert, titled The Chase, highlighted the rise of hunting as an organized sport for the European upper class in the 18th century, […]
Review: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Performed Immortal Schubert
Few things are more enjoyable than a stunning performance of an absolute masterpiece, which is how the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center opened their 2019-2020 season at the Harris […]
Symphony Center Tribute to Apollo 11 Was Teleporting
Usually, when I go to a concert, nothing can distract from the delight of live music. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s multi-media performance on October 14 at Symphony Center — […]
Review: Kirill Gerstein Opens Symphony Center’s Beethoven Sonata Celebration
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven in the 2019-2020 season, Symphony Center Presents is bringing in leading performers to play all 32 of […]
Review: Chicago Philharmonic, From Trombone to Tchaikovsky
I will never look at the trombone the same way again. The Chicago Philharmonic may be the newer and smaller-scale cousin to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but its […]
Review: Orion Ensemble Offered an Uneven Performance on Wednesday
The Orion Ensemble opened its 27th season with their usual sort of concert that featured little-heard composers and a rarely heard work by a major composer. The second run-through of […]
Review: Robert Chen and Matthew Hagle Wowed on Sunday
Violinist Robert Chen and pianist Matthew Hagle kicked off the Music Institute of Chicago’s 2019-2020 concert season on Sunday afternoon with a delightful performance of music from the 18th and […]
Review: Go Figaro—The Lyric’s Barber Styles a Light, Bright Opening Night
The Lyric Opera of Chicago will have plenty for those who like their operas dark and deep and full of danger. The season that opened Saturday night (September 28) will […]
Bach’s Mass in b-minor Got Audience Hosannas at Music of the Baroque Season Opener
The Mass in b-minor is often described as Johann Sebastian Bach’s valedictory masterpiece. It certainly received a masterly treatment by the Music of the Baroque Chorus and Orchestra, whose season-opening […]
Review: Holo-rifficMaria Callas in Concert at Lyric Opera
There was some life in this death. BASE Hologram and director Stephen Wadsworth resurrected soprano Maria Callas 42 years after her death on September 7 at the Lyric Opera. The […]