George Jahn is the former Vienna bureau chief of The Associated Press. During his 35-year career at the global news organization, he covered wars, politics... and opera, reviewing productions at the Vienna State Opera, the Salzburg Festival, Bayreuth Festival and other houses in Austria and Germany. He has also written for Opera Now and International Piano magazines in London. Those he has interviewed include Matthias Goerne, Vesselina Kasarova, Thomas Hampson and Mariss Jansons. George holds or shares awards for his reporting on U.N. affairs and for his coverage of the Bosnian war. A Canadian/Hungarian citizen, he splits his time between residences in Vienna and Budapest.
The performance of Wagner’s Lohengrin transcends Andreas Homoki's curious staging, redeemed by vocal and orchestral performances that shine in their nuanced artistry.
“How Excellent.” The first words sung in Handel’s Saul are in praise of God and were first uttered in a performance nearly three centuries ago. But they apply equally to Claus Guth’s interpretation of the work staged by Theater an der Wien.
Tragic love, deceit, retribution... and Plácido Domingo. Despite its darkness, the Wiener Staatsoper's revival of Simon Boccanegra makes for an enjoyable evening.
