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Robert Levine

Robert Levine

Robert T. Levine is a New York born-and-bred music writer with a particular interest in music for the voice. His work has appeared in many periodicals and newspapers. He is the author of many books, including The Story of the Orchestra, four volumes in the Black Dog & Leventhal Opera Library, and, most recently, Maria Callas: A Musical Biography.

Autor:Robert Levine

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Mostrando 50 de 102 artículos

The Steve Reich Ensemble in Music for 18 Musicians: Staged Variations © Stephanie Berger

18 Musicians × 3: Steve Reich at the Park Avenue Armory, New York

Por Robert Levine, 17 de octubre de 2026

To mark the 90th birthday of Steve Reich, Staged Variations sees three ensembles tackle the composer’s seminal Music for 18 Musicians.

*****

The Steve Reich Ensemble in Music for 18 Musicians: Staged Variations © Stephanie Berger

18 Musicians × 3: Steve Reich at the Park Avenue Armory

Por Robert Levine

Keri-Lynn Wilson and the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra © Richard Termine | Met Opera

Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra with Lise Davidsen in New York

Por Robert Levine, 25 de agosto de 2026

The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra provide darkness with the suite from a new opera about Crimea, then balm with Four Last Songs, wonderfully sung by Lise Davidsen. High-speed Beethoven follows.

****1

Keri-Lynn Wilson and the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra © Richard Termine | Met Opera

Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra with Lise Davidsen in New York

Por Robert Levine

Hailey Clark (Helena) © Maria Baranova

Annandale-on-Hudson

A lush, provocative Egyptian Helen at Bard

Por Robert Levine, 26 de julio de 2026

At Bard College, Christian Räth and Leonard Botstein make an excellent case for Strauss' neglected opera, Die ägyptische Helena.

*****

Hailey Clark (Helena) © Maria Baranova

Annandale-on-Hudson

A lush, provocative Egyptian Helen at Bard Summerscape

Por Robert Levine

Ailyn Pérez (Cio-Cio-San) and Hyona Kim (Suzuki) © Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera

Ailyn Pérez is the perfect Butterfly in the Met’s revival

Por Robert Levine, 13 de enero de 2026

Good Butterflys are not that difficult to come by but great ones are very very rare. Ailyn Pérez fits the bill in this revival of Anthony Minghella’s classic staging.

*****

Ailyn Pérez (Cio-Cio-San) and Hyona Kim (Suzuki) © Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera

Ailyn Pérez is the perfect Butterfly in the Met’s revival

Por Robert Levine

Brittany Renee (Bess) and Alfred Walker (Porgy) © Richard Termine | Met Opera

Porgy and Bess returns stronger than ever at the Metropolitan Opera

Por Robert Levine, 7 de diciembre de 2025

Back to Catfish Row for another revival of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and James Robinson’s show continue to wow our writer.

*****

Brittany Renee (Bess) and Alfred Walker (Porgy) © Richard Termine | Met Opera

Porgy and Bess returns stronger than ever at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Ryan Speedo Green (Don Giovanni) and Federica Lombardi (Donna Anna) © Ken Howard | Met Opera

Ivo van Hove’s Don Giovanni makes a welcome reappearance at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 24 de septiembre de 2025

Opera lovers’ favorite roué is back at the Met, with the charismatic Ryan Speedo Green taking on the title role.

****1

Ryan Speedo Green (Don Giovanni) and Federica Lombardi (Donna Anna) © Ken Howard | Met Opera

Ivo van Hove’s Don Giovanni makes a welcome reappearance at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Cadie J Bryan (Milada) and John Matthew Myers (Dalibor) © Maria Baranova

Annandale-on-Hudson

Almost rescued from tyranny: Smetena's Dalibor stuns at Bard

Por Robert Levine, 27 de julio de 2025

Bedřich Smetana’s patriotic opera Dalibor is given a rare outing at Bard College, directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Leon Botstein.

****1

Cadie J Bryan (Milada) and John Matthew Myers (Dalibor) © Maria Baranova

Annandale-on-Hudson

Almost rescued from tyranny: Smetena's Dalibor stuns at Bard

Por Robert Levine

Franco Fagioli and the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles © Sam Roppola

Franco Fagioli and Versailles bring rare bel canto to New York

Por Robert Levine, 23 de julio de 2025

The Argentinian countertenor brings a program of music performed by famed castrato Giovanni Battista Velluti to L'Alliance.

****1

Franco Fagioli and the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles © Sam Roppola

Franco Fagioli and Versailles bring rare bel canto to New York

Por Robert Levine

Elza van den Heever (Salome) © Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera

Claus Guth directs a tormented, harrowing new Salome at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 2 de mayo de 2025

Claus Guth's new production at the Metropolitan Opera, originally seen at the Bolshoi in 2021, moves the action from biblical Judea to the era of the opera's composition.

*****

Elza van den Heever (Salome) © Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera

Claus Guth directs a tormented, harrowing new Salome at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Lise Davidsen (Leonore) and David Butt Philip (Florestan) © Karen Almond

Lise Davidsen thrills in Metropolitan Opera’s Fidelio revival

Por Robert Levine, 7 de marzo de 2025

Exceptional singing enlivens a flawed production, which takes liberties with the tone and tenor of Beethoven's sole opera.

****1

Lise Davidsen (Leonore) and David Butt Philip (Florestan) © Karen Almond

Lise Davidsen thrills in Metropolitan Opera’s Fidelio revival

Por Robert Levine

Klaus Mäkelä and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Carnegie Hall © Chris Lee

Mäkelä and the Royal Concertgebouw wow in Schoenberg and Mahler at Carnegie Hall

Por Robert Levine, 23 de noviembre de 2024

Continuing their Carnegie Hall mini-residency, Klaus Mäkelä and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra dive into late Romantic works by Schoenberg and Mahler.

*****

Klaus Mäkelä and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Carnegie Hall © Chris Lee

Mäkelä and the Concertgebouw wow in Schoenberg and Mahler

Por Robert Levine

Lise Davidsen (Tosca) © Met Opera | Marty Sohl

Some thrills and a bit of a chill in Lise Davidsen's Tosca at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 15 de noviembre de 2024

Nézét-Séguin takes a thoroughly veristic approach in the pit. Lise Davidsen's marmoreal nobility may not be perfectly suited to the title role, but oh Lord, the voice!

****1

Lise Davidsen (Tosca) © Met Opera | Marty Sohl

Thrills and a chill in Lise Davidsen's Tosca at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Lise Davidsen (Leonora) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

Destiny has rarely been gloomier – or better sung – in Treliński's vision of Forza at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 26 de febrero de 2024

The first new Forza at the Met for nearly 30 years is lustily sung, led by Norwegian soprano, Lise Davidsen, and Igor Golovatenko as her vengeful brother.

****1

Lise Davidsen (Leonora) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

Destiny has rarely been gloomier: Treliński's new Forza at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Ailyn Pérez (Florencia) © Ken Howard | Met Opera

Ailyn Pérez shines in Daniel Catán's verdant, shimmering Florencia en al Amazonas

Por Robert Levine, 25 de noviembre de 2023

The Metropolitan Opera premieres Florencia en el Amazonas by Mexican composer Daniel Catán in an eye-catching, warm production by Mary Zimmerman.

****1

Ailyn Pérez (Florencia) © Ken Howard | Met Opera

Ailyn Pérez shines in Daniel Catán's verdant, shimmering Florencia

Por Robert Levine

Jonas Kaufmann © Monika Rittershaus, courtesy of Park Avenue Armory

Kaufmann and Deutsch shine in Claus Guth's dramatized Schwanengesang

Por Robert Levine, 27 de septiembre de 2023

In New York's Park Avenue Armory, Claus Guth imagines Schubert's final song collection set in a military hospital, Jonas Kaufmann as one of its soldiers with a story to tell.

****1

Jonas Kaufmann © Monika Rittershaus, courtesy of Park Avenue Armory

Kaufmann and Deutsch shine in Claus Guth's dramatized Schwanengesang

Por Robert Levine

Ryan McKinny (Joseph De Rocher ) and Joyce DiDonato (Sister Helen Prejean) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

A vision of Death Row: Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking opens the Met season

Por Robert Levine, 26 de septiembre de 2023

The Metropolitan Opera makes good on its promise to present more contemporary work, opening the season with Jake Heggie's gut wrenching tale of rage and redemption.

*****

Ryan McKinny (Joseph De Rocher ) and Joyce DiDonato (Sister Helen Prejean) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

A vision of Death Row: Heggie’s Dead Man Walking opens the Met season

Por Robert Levine

Peter Mattei (Don Giovanni) and Adam Plachetka (Leporello) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

Ivo van Hove's bleak, effective Don Giovanni arrives at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 9 de mayo de 2023

Peter Mattei's smooth-as-silk baritone leads a handsome cast in the Metropolitan Opera's bleak new production of Mozart's great dramma giocoso.

****1

Peter Mattei (Don Giovanni) and Adam Plachetka (Leporello) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

Ivo van Hove's bleak, effective Don Giovanni arrives at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Ryan Speedo Green (Young Emile Griffith) and the cast of Champion © Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

And the winner is: Terence Blanchard’s Champion comes to the Met

Por Robert Levine, 18 de abril de 2023

The compelling story of boxer Emile Griffith's struggles with guilt and sexuality are not ideally rendered in James Robinson's new production.

***11

Ryan Speedo Green (Young Emile Griffith) and the cast of Champion © Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

And the winner is: Terence Blanchard’s Champion comes to the Met

Por Robert Levine

Joyce DiDonato (Virginia Woolf) © Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera

Star-studded gloom in The Hours at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 22 de noviembre de 2022

Is it possible to have a minor success on every level? Kevin Puts' The Hours underwhelms in its world premiere production at the Metropolitan Opera.

***11

Joyce DiDonato (Virginia Woolf) © Evan Zimmerman | Met Opera

Star-studded gloom in Kevin Puts' The Hours at the Met

Por Robert Levine

A fine showing for the 1884 Italian version of Don Carlo at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 7 de noviembre de 2022

A revival for Sir David McVicar's staging from last season, but this time reverting from French to the four-act Italian version, conducted by Carlo Rizzi.

****1

A fine showing for the 1884 Italian version of Don Carlo at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Keri-Lynn Wilson leads an irrepressible, snide, Lady Macbeth at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 29 de septiembre de 2022

Making her debut at the Metropolitan Opera, the wife of Met GM Peter Gelb crushes any talk of nepotism at the downbeat.

*****

Keri-Lynn Wilson leads an irrepressible Lady Macbeth at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Radvanovsky triumphs as Cherubini's Medea opens the Met Opera season

Por Robert Levine, 27 de septiembre de 2022

Sir David McVicar's new production opens the Met season with house's first ever staging of Cherubini's Medea.

*****

Radvanovsky triumphs as Cherubini's Medea opens the Met Opera season

Por Robert Levine

Annandale-on-Hudson

Strauss' Silent Woman makes a grand noise at Bard

Por Robert Levine, 24 de julio de 2022

Bard’s always courageous Music Director, Leon Botstein, never one to shy away from a challenge, presents Strauss' comedy uncut.

****1

Annandale-on-Hudson

Strauss' Silent Woman makes a grand noise at Bard

Por Robert Levine

The Rake's Progress rears its ugly head at The Met

Por Robert Levine, 7 de junio de 2022

Jonathan Miller's modish production returns to The Metropolitan Opera with three leads who are absolutely right.

****1

The Rake's Progress rears its ugly head at The Met

Por Robert Levine

A singer for the ages: Lise Davidsen a triumphant Ariadne at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 8 de marzo de 2022

The Norwegian soprano is acclaimed at the Met in Richard Strauss' mash-up of commedia dell'arte and tragic opera.

*****

A singer for the ages: Lise Davidsen a triumphant Ariadne at the Met

Por Robert Levine

A trio of vocal triumphs in The Metropolitan Opera's new Rigoletto

Por Robert Levine, 4 de enero de 2022

Verdi's Rigoletto in Weimar Germany? A half-baked concept, but Bartlett Sher's new production is certainly dramatic and it is gorgeously sung.

****1

A trio of vocal triumphs in The Metropolitan Opera's new Rigoletto

Por Robert Levine

Porgy and Bess returns as a great show at The Metropolitan Opera

Por Robert Levine, 10 de noviembre de 2021

James Robinson’s production allows the large cast of Catfish Row to interact like the old pals – almost family – that they are.

****1

Porgy and Bess returns as a great show at The Metropolitan Opera

Por Robert Levine

The Metropolitan Opera performs a revelatory, original Boris Godunov

Por Robert Levine, 28 de septiembre de 2021

Forget Rimsky-Korsakov, forget the Polish act... Stephen Wadsworth's new production for The Met returns to Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of his Russian historical epic.

*****

The Metropolitan Opera performs a revelatory, original Boris Godunov

Por Robert Levine

Great Barrington

Berkshire Opera makes a triumphant return with Verdi's Falstaff

Por Robert Levine, 21 de agosto de 2021

The world could use a laugh... and Brian Garman and his team deliver belly laughs aplenty at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center.

*****

Great Barrington

Berkshire Opera makes a triumphant return with Verdi's Falstaff

Por Robert Levine

Annandale-on-Hudson

Chausson's rarely heard Le Roi Arthus well served at Bard

Por Robert Levine, 25 de julio de 2021

The first fully staged American production of Chausson's sole opera features remarkable singing, fine storytelling and plush orchestral playing.

****1

Annandale-on-Hudson

Chausson's rarely heard Le Roi Arthus well served at Bard

Por Robert Levine

A musically ideal Così in The Met's revival

Por Robert Levine, 18 de febrero de 2020

Phelim McDermott’s Coney Island Così fan tutte returns to The Met, in sparkling vocal performances.

****1

A musically ideal Così in The Met's revival

Por Robert Levine

Bleak and hopeless: William Kentridge's Wozzeck at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 2 de enero de 2020

Despite theatrical drawbacks, this Wozzeck is heartily recommended due to Yannick Nézet-Séguin's staggering understanding of all facets of Berg's score.

****1

Bleak and hopeless: William Kentridge's Wozzeck at the Met

Por Robert Levine

J'Nai Bridges (Nefertiti), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten) and Dísella Lárusdóttir (Queen Tye) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

Glass' Akhnaten mesmerizes at The Met

Por Robert Levine, 19 de noviembre de 2019

The third in the composer’s “portrait” trilogy finally arrives at The Met in Phelim McDermott's spectacular production.

*****

J'Nai Bridges (Nefertiti), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten) and Dísella Lárusdóttir (Queen Tye) © Karen Almond | Met Opera

Glass' Akhnaten mesmerizes at The Met

Por Robert Levine

A good, if not particularly touching, Madama Butterfly from Hui He at The Met

Por Robert Levine, 15 de octubre de 2019

Anthony Minghella's production remains a feast for the eyes, but this performance failed to gel into a dramatic whole.

***11

A good Madama Butterfly from Hui He at The Met

Por Robert Levine

A thoroughly worthy Porgy and Bess opens the Met's season

Por Robert Levine, 23 de septiembre de 2019

The Met’s new production is directed by James Robinson, who has the characters interacting and listening to one another as if in real life – the inhabitants of Catfish Row have known each other for all of their lives and love, pray and grieve like family.

****1

A thoroughly worthy Porgy and Bess opens the Met's season

Por Robert Levine

Great Barrington

Berkshire Opera's sparkling Don Pasquale

Por Robert Levine, 24 de agosto de 2019

Craig Colclough's Don Pasquale is arrogant, boyishly hopeful, outraged and pathetic by turns, his singing free of silly buffo mannerisms, the voice grand.

*****

Great Barrington

Berkshire Opera's sparkling Don Pasquale

Por Robert Levine

Bellini's mysterious Straniera appears in New York

Por Robert Levine, 17 de julio de 2019

The recently formed Teatro Nuovo provide fine entertainment with Bellini's rarely performed second opera.

*****

Bellini's mysterious Straniera appears in New York

Por Robert Levine

Faith and anguish: Carmélites at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 8 de mayo de 2019

An unforgettable evening at the Met as John Dexter's production of Poulenc's masterpiece is revived to close the season.

****1

Faith and anguish: Carmélites at the Met

Por Robert Levine

“Endless pleasure” in Bicket's Semele at Carnegie Hall

Por Robert Levine, 14 de abril de 2019

A concert performance of Handel's not-quite-an-opera proves a hit on tour in New York.

*****

“Endless pleasure” in Bicket's Semele at Carnegie Hall

Por Robert Levine

A Falstaff to relish at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 27 de febrero de 2019

A welcome revival at the Met of Robert Carsen's witty production of Verdi's final opera.

*****

A Falstaff to relish at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Off-the-mark Iolanta, but a terrifying Bluebeard at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 28 de enero de 2019

Mariusz Treliński's double bill pairing returns to the Metropolitan Opera with fine performances from Sonya Yoncheva and Gerald Finley in the leads.

****1

Off-the-mark Iolanta, but a terrifying Bluebeard at the Met

Por Robert Levine

The lights are out in Allemonde: Miller's dull staging of Pelléas et Mélisande returns

Por Robert Levine, 15 de enero de 2019

Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s proves the highlight of a frustrating evening at The Metropolitan Opera

***11

The lights are out in Allemonde: Pelléas at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Stars light up Cilea's humid potboiler at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 8 de enero de 2019

Although Adriana Lecouvreur could never be referred to as one of the world’s greatest operas, Anna Netrebko, Anita Rachvelishvili and Piotr Beczała give it the star treatment at the Metropolitan Opera.

*****

Stars light up Cilea's humid potboiler at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Yoncheva and Dudamel shine in a blazing Otello at the Met

Por Robert Levine, 17 de diciembre de 2018

When it comes to the title role, Bartlett Sher's non-interventionist production misses the core of the character.

****1

Yoncheva and Dudamel shine in a blazing Otello at the Met

Por Robert Levine

Trittico's 100th anniversary and Domingo's 50th celebrated at The Met

Por Robert Levine, 26 de noviembre de 2018

All three operas in Puccini's triptych are strongly cast in this revival.

****1

Trittico's 100th anniversary and Domingo's 50th

Por Robert Levine

Devil takes all in The Met's Mefistofele

Por Robert Levine, 12 de noviembre de 2018

Mefistofele proves a mixed blessing: good meets evil, devils fight with angels, lovely lyricism alternates with bombast and second-rate material.

***11

Devil takes all in The Met's Mefistofele

Por Robert Levine

Superb production and cast can't make The Met's Marnie live

Por Robert Levine, 22 de octubre de 2018

The cast, sets, costumes and direction of Muhly's opera Marnie impress, but the music somehow falls short of expectations.

***11

Superb production and cast can't make The Met's Marnie live

Por Robert Levine

Big, bold Minnie and Johnson in Met's Fanciulla: Eyvazov shines

Por Robert Levine, 4 de octubre de 2018

The audience for The Met's first performance of La fanciulla del West this season arrived loaded for bear. Not only were they disappointed that Jonas Kaufmann was not singing (he's slated for shows starting 17th October), but their disappointment was heightened by the fact that tenor Yusif Eyvazov was singing.

*****

Eyvazov shines in Met's Fanciulla

Por Robert Levine

A chiaroscuro-free, shiny Samson et Dalila at The Met

Por Robert Levine, 24 de septiembre de 2018

The Met's new season opens with a new Samson et Dalila only marginally more trashy than Saint-Saëns’ peculiar brand of kitschy orientalism.

***11

A chiaroscuro-free, shiny Samson et Dalila at The Met

Por Robert Levine

High Cs to burn: Netrebko stars in The Met’s new, hot-blooded Tosca

Por Robert Levine, 30 de abril de 2018

And the new, Spring casting for David McVicar's new production of Tosca has an ace in the hole – Anna Netrebko – and she certainly did not disappoint.

*****

High Cs to burn: Netrebko stars as Tosca

Por Robert Levine