All stories by Mark Swed on BroadwayStars

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Review: John Adams thinks big in this new telling of the Gospel by Mark Swed

The composer and librettist Peter Sellars look at Christ's Passion through the eyes of women caregivers. It's 'The Gospel According to the Other Mary.'Many of John Adams' scores pursue the b…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:00AM
Monday, May 21, 2012

Review: 'Don Giovanni' feels right at home in Disney Hall by Mark Swed

The Los Angeles Philharmonic's new production of the Mozart opera is an extraordinary achievement, freshly illuminated and site-specific. Los Angeles Opera can stop worrying right now.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:00AM
Monday, May 14, 2012

Review: L.A. Opera's 'La Boheme' has young cast in old production by Mark Swed

The company trots out Herb Ross' popular 1993 production, not an ideal staging for the young cast, including Ailyn Perez and Stephen Costello."La Bohème" is back. So too is Los Angeles Oper…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:00AM
Thursday, May 10, 2012

Music review: The New York Phil makes a blistering Disney Hall debut by Mark Swed

The wow factor is considerable as the New Yorkers — podium in tow — blow out the L.A. venue with their powerful sound and virtuosity in a wide-ranging program.The New York Philha…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:06PM
Monday, March 12, 2012

Opera review: Long Beach Opera's Surrealist double bill by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews Long Beach Opera's overly silly but marvelously performed Surrealist double bill of Martinu's "Tears of A Knife" and Poulenc's "The Breasts of Tiresias."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:50PM
Sunday, February 26, 2012

Opera review: Los Angeles Opera's 'Albert Herring' by Mark Swed

The music making, highlighted by James Conlon s vital conducting, is, for the most part, excellent.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:22PM

Opera review: Los Angeles Opera's 'Albert Herring' by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews Los Angeles Opera's sassy and well performed production of Benjamin Britten's "Albert Herring."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:30PM
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Opera review: Jake Heggie's 'Moby-Dick' at San Diego Opera by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews the San Diego Opera production of Jake Heggie's "Moby-Dick."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:01PM
Thursday, January 26, 2012

Theater review: 'And God Created Great Whales' at REDCAT by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews Rinde Eckert's stunningly effective "Moby Dick" theater piece, "And God Created Great Whales" at REDCAT.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:25PM
Sunday, January 22, 2012

Musical therapy is making breakthroughs by Mark Swed

Technology enables people with severe physical and mental disabilities to communicate and enjoy a more enriching life.There is a great deal of music in the world, and no one knows exactly wh…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:00AM
Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Critic's Notebook: Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch is in moment by Mark Swed

Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch troupe gives energetic performance of 'Danzón.' Too bad that, in light of its founder's death in 2009, its future is hardly secure.Tanztheater Wuppertal Pi…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:00AM
Friday, October 28, 2011

Music theater review: Peter Sellars' 'Desdemona' at Berkeley by Mark Swed

Peter Sellars' "Desdemona" -- with text by Toni Morrison and music by Rokia Traoré -- is an incantatory new re-imagining of Shakespeare's "Othello," giving the missing voice to the women an…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:10PM
Monday, October 10, 2011

Music review: Tim Fain's 'Portals' at the Broad Stage by Mark Swed

Tim Fain's "Portals" is a multi-media violin recital experiment which reached the West Coast Sunday at the Broad Stage and included the premiere of Philip Glass solo Partita. The experiment …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:51PM
Sunday, September 18, 2011

Opera review: Los Angeles Opera's 'Eugene Onegin' by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews Los Angeles Opera's first production of Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," which opened the company's 26th season at the Music Center.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00PM
Friday, September 16, 2011

Critic's Notebook: Orange County's new Soka Performing Arts Center by Mark Swed

The Soka Performing Arts Center, which opens Saturday night in Aliso Viejo, is a new acoustical jewel by star acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota. Mark Swed reports on a dress rehearsal by the Pacif…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:35PM
Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Opera review: David Robertson conducts 'Wozzeck' in Santa Fe by Mark Swed

Santa Fe Opera revives Berg's "Wozzeck" for the first time in a decade. David Robertson is the exceptional conductor.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:15PM
Saturday, July 23, 2011

Spidey's raw deal: Julie Taymor, Peter Brook and Merce by Mark Swed

Poor Spidey got a raw deal. Mark Swed looks at the little of Julie Taymor's direction that is left in "Spider-Man: Turn Off the the Dark" in context of Peter Brook's "A Magic Flute" and the …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:00AM
Monday, July 18, 2011

Opera review: Gustavo Dudamel conducts 'Turandot' at the Hollywood Bowl by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews a "Turandot" first for Gustavo Dudamel and Christine Brewer at the Hollywood Bowl

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:27PM
Friday, July 15, 2011

Opera review: Peter Brook's 'A Magic Flute' in New York by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews Peter Brook's radical reduced "A Magic Flute"

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:24PM
Sunday, July 10, 2011

Anti-opera review: 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews the Southern California premiere of "Jerry Springer: The Opera."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:00PM
Saturday, July 9, 2011

Concert review: 'West Side Story' film premiere at the Hollywood Bowl with live orchestra by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews the Hollywood Bowl premiere of the film version of "West Side Story" with live orchestra

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:47PM
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Culture Watch: 'The Pulitzer Project' by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews a new recording of Pulitzer Prize winning scores from the 1940s.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00AM
Sunday, June 26, 2011

Music Theater Review: Eric Whitacre's 'Paradise Lost' at Walt Disney Concert Hall by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews the Eric Whitacre's "Paradise Lost" in a semi-staged performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:45PM
Monday, June 20, 2011

Opera review: San Francisco Opera presents a new 'Ring' Cycle by Mark Swed

Mark Swed reviews Francesca Zambello's new "Ring" cycle for San Francisco Opera, the first directed by American woman.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:19PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards