'Galas' Presents the Life of Maria Callas as Equal Parts Opera and Soap by James Jorden

Perhaps better than any other examination of Callas' life and career, the play 'Galas' delves into the frustration and pain that engendered her genius

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 12:11pm on June 17, 2019☆⚑

'Old Lady' Linda Lavin Animates NYCO's Stale 'Candide' by James Jorden

What a marvelous idea it was to program the operetta Candide as the centerpiece of New York City Opera's current season. Leonard Bernstein's most inventive score for the theater, the partici…

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 11:53am on January 9, 2017☆⚑

Star Quality Spices Up a Bland 'Roméo et Juliette' at the Met by James Jorden

James Jorden's review of the most recent Met production of 'Romeo and Juliet.'

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 11:27am on January 3, 2017☆⚑

LoftOpera Makes a High School Musical Out of Mozart by James Jorden

NYC's LoftOpera performs "Cosi fan tutte" as an exploration of teen sexuality.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 11:30am on September 19, 2016☆⚑

Arias Al Fresco: Two New York Operas, Outdoors by James Jorden

An unfairly maligned Rossini and arias in a sculpture park round out this summer's outdoor opera programming.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 7:57pm on July 20, 2016☆⚑

They're Young, They're in Love, And They're Ready for the Big Time by James Jorden

Prelude to Performance not only readies opera singers for professional careers, but presents a solidly entertaining ''La Boheme' as well.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 7:22pm on July 10, 2016☆⚑

A Night at the Opera, No Pants Required by James Jorden

Fortunately, pants-free opera is now no longer a dream or a luxury for just the few.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 7:22pm on July 10, 2016☆⚑

The Met's James Levine Conducts Wagner For His Swan Song by James Jorden

It was likely the longstanding Met conductor's final live work.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 11:32am on June 3, 2016☆⚑

New York Opera Fest: The Good, the Bad and the Rubato by James Jorden

If the first weeks' presentations seem more remarkable for good intentions than for polished results, there's still plenty to enjoy.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 2:28pm on May 27, 2016☆⚑

Opera Orchestra of New York Flubs Latest Experiment by James Jorden

Opera Orchestra of New York--known for obscure, one-off operas--really dropped the ball this time.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 10:39pm on May 16, 2016☆⚑

Two Shorter Operas, Two Very Different Performances by James Jorden

Hopper's Wife turned out to be the most unpleasant piece as I've heard since NYCO's notorious fiasco The Dreyfus Affair, two decades ago.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 12:26pm on May 4, 2016☆⚑

Magnificent Futility: Richard Strauss's 'Elektra' at the Met by James Jorden

A powerful take on Elektra

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 4:53pm on April 29, 2016☆⚑

The Met's Long History of Failing to Fire Lackluster Opera Directors by James Jorden

The Met's production of 'Roberto Devereux' is just the latest reminder of the institution's rough history of using flailing opera directors.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 1:04pm on March 31, 2016☆⚑

Why, Tosca? Really. This Performance Made Us Question Everything by James Jorden

A review of the New York City Opera Renaissance's most recent production of 'Tosca.'

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 8:57pm on January 28, 2016☆⚑

High Notes: Raw, Powerful New Operas Tackle Human Trafficking, Sexual Deviancy by James Jorden

New opera 'Dog Days' marks the formal arrival of the three-year-old Prototype Festival.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 9:36pm on January 14, 2016☆⚑

Bizet's First Opera Still a Masterpiece by James Jorden

The Met's 'Pecheurs de Perles' delights.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 1:47pm on January 2, 2016☆⚑

A Fresh 'Pirates' and a Reliable 'Tosca' Highlight New York's Fall Opera Offerings by James Jorden

Fall opera offerings in New York include the surprise revelation that Deborah Voigt can sing Gilbert & Sullivan.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 4:18pm on October 22, 2015☆⚑

Fall Arts Preview: 7 Operas That Opera Fans Must Not Miss by James Jorden

7 opera picks for the fall in New York City.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 11:33am on October 15, 2015☆⚑

The Kids in Bushwick Who Figured Out Opera by James Jorden

It's not easy to pin down exactly what makes LoftOpera so unlike the myriad other small opera companies that dot New York, but whatever that disparity might be, it makes all the difference.

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 10:39pm on September 2, 2015☆⚑

An Appreciation of 'Guilty Pleasure' Operas by James Jorden

What a lot of opera queens flock to is a corner of the repertoire that can be best labeled "guilty pleasures," pieces we all know are of dubious artistic quality"but what fun to listen!

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 2:35pm on July 22, 2015☆⚑

When Operas Cross Genres, It's Mishmosh " or Magic by James Jorden

Two small-scale operas offer different results

SOURCE: The New York Observer at 11:11am on June 13, 2015☆⚑

'Ring' it on! by James Jorden

Ask anyone who knows opera what an opera house's biggest challenge is, and they'll tell you: “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” This 18-hour, four-night epic, written in the mid-1800s by…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 5:58pm on May 25, 2015☆⚑

Thou shalt hear this fine work about Moses by James Jorden

A blizzard seemed an incongru ous prelude to an opera set in sizzling biblical Egypt, but the trudge through snowy SoHo on Wednesday night paid off with a glimpse of the intriguing new "Mos…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 5:58pm on May 25, 2015☆⚑

Feline groovy on 42nd by James Jorden

The newest star on Broadway is a singing, dancing cat, and Andrew Lloyd Webber has nothing to do with it.The feline in question is fairy-tale favorite Puss in Boots, or "El Gato con Botas,"…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 5:58pm on May 25, 2015☆⚑

‘Traviata' triumphant! by James Jorden

Unveiling a new "La Traviata" Friday night to a starry audience including Natalie Portman and Vanessa Redgrave, the Met triumphed with the most moving and exciting Verdi production in years.…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 5:58pm on May 25, 2015☆⚑