Reviews

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Page 59
A scene from the opera: a dynamic ensemble shot of 15 men in suits, with a range of avid expressions, on and around a couch.

Opera Philadelphia presents Rigoletto

A rapturous return
Rigoletto is Opera Philadelphia’s first full production at the Academy of Music since 2019, reminding us how we sustain, and are sustained by, great art. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 4 minute read
The book cover. The upper half shows the classical façade of the school; the lower a crowded city protest for school funding.

The Roots of Educational Inequality: Philadelphia’s Germantown High School, 1907-2014, by Erika M. Kitzmiller

A century in Germantown
We know how the story of Germantown High School ended, but how did it begin? A new book explains, and highlights the fault lines that remain in our schools today. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Anndee Hochman

Anndee Hochman

Reviews 5 minute read
The PRISM Quartet. Four white men in suits each hold a gold-colored saxophone of a different type and size.

PCMS presents the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia’s 200th Anniversary Concert

Still vibrant at 202 (and counting)
The Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia marked its bicentennial in 2020, and was finally able to celebrate with four commissioned Philly-inspired premieres by world-class contemporary composers. Margaret Darby reviews.
Margaret Darby

Margaret Darby

Reviews 4 minute read
Shaham, 51-year-old white man, stands in front of autumn trees holding his violin and smiling warmly.

The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Gil Shaham playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Seasons of love
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s string players took the spotlight in a performance anchored by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with guest soloist Gil Shaham. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 3 minute read
A collage-style piece in tan, orange, & blue, including brick buildings that have suitcase handles, and a wood table setting

The African American Museum in Philadelphia presents Derrick Adams: Sanctuary

Know before you go
Derrick Adams: Sanctuary, now on view at AAMP, is inspired by the Green Book travel guide that helped Black motorists plan their trips in the Jim Crow era. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Reviews 4 minute read
Four cast members sit, looking worried, around a table with red and white flowers in vases. The light is misty and dramatic.

The Wilma Theater presents Dmitry Krymov’s adaption of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard

The sign of a good show
The Wilma gives Chekhov’s classic a chaotic, colorful modern update—complete with a sentient train station departure sign. Jill Ivey reviews.
Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Reviews 3 minute read
9 actors stand in line onstage, in motley range of clothing styles including stripes, paisley, leather, gold, black, & denim

Resident Ensemble Players presents Theresa Rebeck’s Yeah Baby

Paging Pirandello
Expectation and reality collide in Theresa Rebeck’s Yeah Baby, an absurdist comedy that is the playwright’s fourth Resident Ensemble Players premiere. Gail Obenreder reviews.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 4 minute read
Victor Lewis Jr lifts Mikaela Fenton, both wearing white. They’re face to face & her legs swerve upward over their heads

PHILADANCO! presents RE (RE-vived and Archived, RE-visited and RE-constructed)

Reliving the repertoire
On the night founder Joan Myers Brown received the Avenue of the Arts Visionary Award, PHILADANCO! gave us a taste of that vision to open its 52nd year. Camille Bacon-Smith reviews.
Camille Bacon-Smith

Camille Bacon-Smith

Reviews 4 minute read
Sayet stands on a dark stage, arms outstretched, surrounded by tiny lights at her feet, whirling around her, and above her.

Philadelphia Theatre Company presents Madeline Sayet’s Where We Belong

Flying between worlds
In Where We Belong, a compelling but uneven solo work at Philadelphia Theatre Company, Madeline Sayet explores what it means to study Shakespeare from an Indigenous perspective. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 3 minute read
Book cover. The title and author appear in white, over a black & white photo of a young Dan Rottenberg on a city street.

The Education of a Journalist, by Dan Rottenberg

The power of public discussion
As his readers already know, BSR founding editor Dan Rottenberg loves a good debate, a quest he affirms in his journalistic memoir. Longtime colleague Rob Laymon reviews.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Reviews 5 minute read