“Pipa superstar” [The Washington Post] Wu Man lives in San Diego, but performs in venues around the world—and she’s doing it on an ancient instrument that was nearly forgotten by its native China … More Wu Man and the Ancient Chinese Pipa
When Nadine Sierra gets into character for her Metropolitan Opera debut, she’ll be tapping into real life experiences. According to the 27-year-old soprano, composer Giuseppe Verdi “nailed it” … More Nadine Sierra: Opera for the Teenage Brain
—They’re a potent chemistry in the new show at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Bel Canto, by Peruvian-American composer Jimmy Lopez, will ring true … More Terror Meets Opera in Chicago Premiere
To call John Cleese a legend is to cause one to ponder the overuse of the word. There are legends of football, vaudeville, aviation and horse racing—all earned their place in the history books—but how many of those are as readily and universally quotable … More John Cleese on Laughing “Immoderately”
Maria Luigia Borsi as Mimì in the Atlanta Opera production “In a certain sense, Puccini represents our life.” He‘s a writer who uses his manuscripts for heat (in the furnace). She‘s beautiful as a flower—delicate and ephemeral. They are ill-fated lovers in Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème; arguably one of the most romantic works ever put … More “La bohème” Stings Like It Happened Yesterday
He took the reins of the company in 2006; “The Met: Live in HD” followed almost immediately. But ten seasons into this HD venture, Peter Gelb stops short of saying his signature initiative has changed the business. … More A Conversation with the Met’s Peter Gelb
If you were to ask ten people on the street to list ten things every American should know (books, songs, people, historical facts, etc.), how varied do you think their answers would be? … More Are You Culturally Literate?
The musicians of the Louisiana Philharmonic have taken their lumps. They were pink-slipped in the 90s. They reorganized, learned how to run an orchestra and saved their jobs. Then, ten years ago, a hurricane ruined their concert hall. … More Ten Years After Katrina, Louisiana Philharmonic Goes Home
Folk singer Frank Hamilton remembers Rosa Parks, the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, and the song he taught to Pete Seeger and to protesters at the Greensboro sit-ins. … More ‘We Shall Overcome’: From Work Song to Civil Rights Anthem
Most everyone knows how it sounds, yet few speak of how it feels. For many homosexual men, sounding gay is a source of anxiety and a cause for ridicule (or worse). Freelance journalist David Thorpe decided to “fix” his voice. And he put the whole ordeal on film. … More ‘Do I Sound Gay?’ Exclusive
Noel Morris 