Articles

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798 Cyranoswordsjpg

Opera Company's "Cyrano' (3rd review)

David DiChiera’s Cyrano is a charming opera, with music that’s pleasantly melodic but not immediately memorable. Don’t expect a masterpiece and you’ll have a good time.

Cyrano. Opera by David DiChiera (music) and Bernard Uzan (libretto). Opera Company of Philadelphia production through February 17, 2008 at Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Sts. (215) 732-8400 or www.operaphilly.com.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 5 minute read
796 gilbertalan3

Gilbert leads the Orchestra (3rd review)

Ten years ago, when he was a student, I concluded that Alan Gilbert possesses the basic qualities a conductor should posses. With one qualification, I stand by that assessment.

Philadelphia Orchestra: Hillborg Exquisite Corpse; Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion; Nielsen Second Symphony. Emanuel Ax and Yoko Nozaki, piano; Alan Gilbert, conductor. February 7-9, 2008 at Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center. (215) 893-1900 or
Tom Purdom

Tom Purdom

Articles 5 minute read
795 Black Gold

InterAct Theatre's "Black Gold'

Seth Rozin’s political satire about a black Detroit homeowner who strikes oil in his back yard is less polemical and more playful than, say, the work of Bertolt Brecht. Rozin uses comedy to make serious points.

Black Gold. Written and directed by Seth Rozin. InterAct Theatre Company production through February 24, 2008 at Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom St. (215) 568-8079 or www.interacttheatre.org.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 3 minute read
797 Johannes Quartet

Johannes Quartet at Seaport Museum

The Johannes Quartet’s playing is almost scientifically accurate. Their rhythmic precision, intonation and adherence to the score is remarkable. You could call it the Robert Bork/errand boy approach to music: Just follow the composer’s orders, literally.

Johannes Quartet: Bartok Quartet No. 4; 
Beethoven Quartet in F Minor, Op. 95 (Serioso); 
Salonen, Quartet;
 Mendelssohn Quartet in D Major, Op. 44, No. 1. February 13, 2008 at Independence Sea

Be'eri Moalem

Articles 6 minute read
792 hillborg

Gilbert conducts the Orchestra (2nd review)

The Orchestra’s February 9 program looked a bit scary even for me, a composer and lover of new music. But this concert turned my expectations upside down.

Philadelphia Orchestra: Hillborg Exquisite Corpse; Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion; Nielsen Second Symphony. Emanuel Ax and Yoko Nozaki, piano; Alan Gilbert, conductor. February 7-9, 2008 at Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center. (215) 893-1900 or www.philorch.org

Be'eri Moalem

Articles 6 minute read

Opera Company's "Cyrano' (2nd review)

David DiChiera’s Cyrano is still an operatic work-in-progress. It deserves a future life if only for its lofty ambitions.

Lewis Whittington

Articles 4 minute read
791 Gilbert

Gilbert conducts Philadelphia Orchestra (1st revie

The Philadelphia Orchestra's concert of Hillborg, Bartok, and Nielsen proved that these days you don't need the standard repertory to attract a large and enthusiastic audience. The Orchestra has become a much younger group since Christoph Eschenbach’s arrival, and they play as if they’re having a ball.

Philadelphia Orchestra: Hillborg Exquisite Corpse; Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion; Nielsen Second Symphony. Emanuel Ax and Yoko Nozaki, piano; Alan G
Dan Coren

Dan Coren

Articles 3 minute read

Opera Company's "Cyrano' (1st review)

In Cyrano, the big-budget sets received more applause than the performances, proving once again how the opera world keeps succumbing to an emphasis on visual appeal. Instead of writing an opera, composer David DiChiera has written background music.

Cyrano. Opera by David DiChiera (music) and Bernard Uzan (libretto). Opera Company of Philadelphia production through February 17, 2008 at Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Sts. (215) 732-8400 or
Jim Rutter

Jim Rutter

Articles 6 minute read

nEW Festival's winter installment

The winter installment of nEW Festival’s “Dancehouse” collective of works in development was a frisky, sleeker sampler with concepts and sketches trying to break through to actual performance.

nEW Festival winter festival. Produced by Melanie Stewart Dance Theatre Jan. 18-20, 2008 at UArts Drake Theater, 1512 Spruce St. (215) 359-7775 or www.nEWfestival.net.

Lewis Whittington

Articles 2 minute read
781 Skylight standing

Lantern Theater's "Skylight' (1st review)

Can an old flame be reignited in the midst of a dreary London winter? David Hare’s Skylight asks us to buy into a plot that strains credulity while rehashing the political storms of yesteryear.

Skylight. By David Hare; directed by Dan Kern. Lantern Theater Co. production through March 2, 2008 at St. Stephen’s Theater, 10th and Ludlow Streets. (215) 829-0395 or www.lanterntheater.org.
Robert Zaller

Robert Zaller

Articles 4 minute read