Bernanos and Poulenc dare us to ask why men of differing opinions would condemn their fellow men to death, leading to new waves of chaos and destruction.
Robbins’ study of the Golden Age might be called a work of skepticism in that it “refuses to create a unitary narrative, a single interpretive vision” of the period, but instead dissects it piecemeal under a microscope.
On opening night, Cecilia Bartoli was awarded Austria’s highest operatic honor, the title of Kammersängerin by the Austrian government.
Much discussion of Yang’s work has focused on the ways that he expertly depicts the interplay (and clash) between East and West within the context of deeply human stories. However, far less ink has been spilled over the role that Christianity has in this interplay.
One quibble with Eisenberg’s approach is that, in giving a vivid and political reading of the teachings of these philosophers, he occasionally simplifies them, perhaps out of prosecutorial zeal.
Paathan presents a challenge to any nationalism that supports a bureaucratic and utilitarian approach. Instead, it shows that community and human dignity are compelling reasons to preserve nations against multinational bids for global hegemony.
Six centuries of printmaking offered visitors a visual display of the genre in all of its splendor. Christof Metzger, the Albertina’s curator, created an exemplary exhibition.
Within the classical realm, the range and virtuosity of composition demands an equal measure of interpretation. Hannah Eisendle’s performance illustrated this with a spirited and novel direction.
The Magnificent Ambersons engages with issues of technological and social change in modernity. But it is also a very human story, focusing on a single family, detailing the lives of its members as change rocks their way of life
The Vienna Philharmonic’s visits to New York date back to 1956—a fine example of cultural diplomacy in the Cold War world and an enduring tradition.
Both the novel and the memoir touch on themes that are sadly out of fashion today: the brotherhood of arms crossing ethnic and cultural divides, individual bravery in battle, and the manly quest to build empires.
MasterVoices does not appear to be planning any Gilbert and Sullivan next season, but it should consider exploring that repertoire as it moves on. Events in Britain might just demand it.
A new book by ethicist Nigel Biggar argues that post-colonial guilt has been blown out of proportion.
Sonya Yoncheva lacked that flame in crucial moments, though comparative listening across performances suggests that Maurizio Benini’s pedestrian conducting may well have been the culprit.
The old cowboy has had the great luck to be written and illustrated by people who love and believe in the original Luke, people who recognize that we still need joyful stories about heroes.
Defending tradition in an anti-traditional world such as ours requires both belief and boldness. Tim Stanley manifests both, combining wry humour and a sense of peace with the world unseen in many political polemics.
An honest sense of one’s own failings and shortcomings is part of what makes levity possible. One of the best books I know for inculcating humility through humor is Jerome K. Jerome’s novel, Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog).
In The Crowd, Le Bon warns that when ideals are erased, cohesion is lost, individual characters weaken and develop excessive egoism, and, as their capacity for self-sufficiency diminishes, they become increasingly reliant on the government to direct them.
The program gave a splendid overview of ‘America’s Mezzo’ Susan Graham’s legendary career across the operatic firmament as well as in the jazzy tunes of the American Songbook. One only missed her triumphs in the operas of Richard Strauss.
Lohengrin, with its lush music and tragic exploration of trust, betrayal, and forbidden knowledge, has imaginative gifts to offer contemporary audiences. The music still soars, but only to the cave ceiling, not to the skies.
In his book The Disappearance of Rituals, Korean-German philosopher Byun-Chul Han presents a genealogy of the disappearance of rituals and its catastrophic effects on society.
