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Chanda VanderHart

Chanda VanderHart

Dr. Chanda VanderHart is a pianist, musicologist and creative who lives, works and plays in Vienna, Austria. For more on Chanda and her projects, click here.

Auteur:Chanda VanderHart

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Rudolf Buchbinder © Marco Borggreve

Honour and credit: Rudolf Buchbinder on 20 years of Grafenegg

Par Chanda VanderHart, 17 juillet 2026

Ahead of the Grafenegg Festival’s 20th edition this year, artistic director Rudolf Buchbinder talks about Grafenegg’s new hall that carries his name, and why he is more nervous in performance than ever.

Rudolf Buchbinder © Marco Borggreve

Honour and credit: Rudolf Buchbinder on 20 years of Grafenegg

Par Chanda VanderHart

Lorenzo Viotti conducts the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Philharmoniker | Niklas Schnaubel

Lorenzo Viotti and the Vienna Philharmonic find magic in Zemlinsky’s Mermaid

Par Chanda VanderHart, 15 juin 2026

Lorenzo Viotti leads the orchestra through a Zemlinsky Seejungfrau of fantastical proportions that is nothing short of magical, a stunning testament to a composer whose genius we are only just beginning to fully appreciate.

***11

Lorenzo Viotti conducts the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Philharmoniker | Niklas Schnaubel

Viotti and the Vienna Philharmonic find magic in Zemlinsky

Par Chanda VanderHart

Jakub Józef Orliński and Michał Biel © Grzesiek Mart

A star portrait, not quite a Liederabend: Orliński and Biel at the Konzerthaus

Par Chanda VanderHart, 11 juin 2026

The Polish countertenor's recital trades on his gifts as a musician and his superstar persona, sometimes to an uneasy effect

***11

Jakub Józef Orliński and Michał Biel © Grzesiek Mart

An uneven star portrait: Orliński and Biel at the Konzerthaus

Par Chanda VanderHart

Andris Nelsons conducts the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in the Musikverein © Gewandhaus | Martin Seifert

Charisma without fanfare: spellbinding Gewandhausorchester in Vienna’s Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 18 mai 2026

In Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto, Yulianna Avdeeva commands attention through sheer innate charisma, anchored in intense engagement.

*****

Andris Nelsons conducts the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in the Musikverein © Gewandhaus | Martin Seifert

Spellbinding Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in Vienna’s Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Sir Simon Rattle © Julia Wesely

Wrangling the octopus: Mahler’s Ninth with Sir Simon Rattle and the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart, 17 avril 2026

Less a symphony, more a force of nature, Sir Simon Rattle conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in a turbulent, yet spacious reading of Mahler's Ninth Symphony in the Musikverein.

****1

Sir Simon Rattle © Julia Wesely

Wrangling the octopus: Mahler’s Ninth with Sir Simon Rattle

Par Chanda VanderHart

Zubin Mehta © Julia Wesely (February 2026)

Shared language, living history: Zubin Mehta conducts the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart, 19 mars 2026

Zubin Mehta, Pinchas Zukerman and the Vienna Philharmonic meet in repertoire they know intimately, illuminating it through mutual understanding.

*****

Zubin Mehta © Julia Wesely (February 2026)

Shared language and living history: Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Phil

Par Chanda VanderHart

Nikola Majtanova (Berenice) and Katleho Mokhoabane (Tito) © Wiener Staatsoper | Marcella Ruiz Cruz

Too much and too little: Jan Lauwers’ restless Clemenza in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart, 12 mars 2026

The creative team behind the new Staatsoper Clemenza is unwilling to trust that Mozart’s opera is interesting enough to stand on its own.

***11

Nikola Majtanova (Berenice) and Katleho Mokhoabane (Tito) © Wiener Staatsoper | Marcella Ruiz Cruz

Too much and too little: Jan Lauwers’ restless Clemenza in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Michael Spyres © Andie Bottrell

Ein wahrer Alleskönner: Michael Spyres über Wien, Tristan und Verdi

Par Chanda VanderHart, 06 mars 2026

Chanda VanderHart spricht mit dem amerikanischen Tenor über sein Tristan-Debüt an der Met, seine Liebe zu Wien und Otto Schenk und die unglaubliche Bandbreite seines Repertoires.

Michael Spyres © Andie Bottrell

Ein wahrer Alleskönner: Michael Spyres über Wien, Tristan und Verdi

Par Chanda VanderHart

Anna Prohaska and Patricia Kopatchinskaja © Allan Cabral

The art of connection: Toronto Symphony, Gimeno, Kopatchinskaja and Prohaska in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart, 09 février 2026

On their European tour, the Toronto Symphony calls in at the Wiener Konzerthaus for a diverse program conducted by Gustavo Gimeno.

****1

Anna Prohaska and Patricia Kopatchinskaja © Allan Cabral

The art of connection: the Toronto Symphony visits Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Lisa Batiashvili and the Oslo Philharmonic © John-Halvdan Olsen-Halvorsen | Oslo Philharmonic

Virtuosity and volume: Oslo Philharmonic in Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich

Par Chanda VanderHart, 22 janvier 2026

Batiashvili’s account of the Tchaikovsky concerto confirms why she remains one of the most compelling violinists of her generation.

***11

Lisa Batiashvili and the Oslo Philharmonic © John-Halvdan Olsen-Halvorsen | Oslo Philharmonic

Virtuosity and volume: Oslo Phil plays Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich

Par Chanda VanderHart

Jakub Hrůša and the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Konzerthaus | Andrea Humer

East of Vienna: the Philharmonic explores Central Europe with Jakub Hrůša

Par Chanda VanderHart, 11 décembre 2025

At the Konzerthaus, the Vienna Philharmonic travels across the Austrian borders with Jakub Hrůša into the varied sound worlds of Hungary, Bohemia and Moravia.

****1

Jakub Hrůša and the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Konzerthaus | Andrea Humer

The Vienna Philharmonic explores Central Europe with Jakub Hrůša

Par Chanda VanderHart

Daniel Schmutzhard (Johann Strauss) and Juliette Khalil (Ida Grünwald) © Marco Sommer | Volksoper Wien

An empty glitter bomb: Aschenbrödels Traum at the Volksoper Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 04 décembre 2025

A dizzying premise from Martina Eisenreich and Axel Ranisch, loosely drawing on Johann Strauss II’s unfinished ballet Aschenbrödel, which tries to be everything, all at once.

***11

Daniel Schmutzhard (Johann Strauss) and Juliette Khalil (Ida Grünwald) © Marco Sommer | Volksoper Wien

An empty glitter bomb: Aschenbrödels Traum at the Volksoper Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart

Dancers and Alexander Strobele (Frosch) © Karl Forster

“Springtime for Hitler” meets Schani: Herheim’s bold Fledermaus at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 13 octobre 2025

Herheim’s Fledermaus is a risky experiment that, miraculously, works – at least in a city that knows it so intimately.

****1

Dancers and Alexander Strobele (Frosch) © Karl Forster

Stefan Herheim’s bold Fledermaus at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Vienna Philharmonic © SF | Marco Borrelli

Chilly brilliance from Salonen in Stravinsky and Berlioz at the Salzburg Festival

Par Chanda VanderHart, 27 juillet 2025

The Vienna Philharmonic's first concert at this year's Salzburg Festival pairs Oedipus Rex with the Symphonie fantastique, with Esa-Pekka Salonen stepping in for Lorenzo Viotti.

***11

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Vienna Philharmonic © SF | Marco Borrelli

Chilly brilliance from Salonen at the Salzburg Festival

Par Chanda VanderHart

Holly Flack (Pauline) and Seth Carico (Private) © Karl Forster

Miroslav Srnka’s Voice Killer: a harrowing descent into madness and musical extremity

Par Chanda VanderHart, 16 juin 2025

At MusikTheater an der Wien, Miroslav Srnka’s new opera provess a deeply compelling, meticulously crafted work. It may not uplift, but it sears itself into the memory.

****1

Holly Flack (Pauline) and Seth Carico (Private) © Karl Forster

Miroslav Srnka’s Voice Killer premieres at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conducts the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Konzerthaus | Andrea Humer

White Nights and historic firsts: Gražinytė-Tyla shines with the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart, 06 mai 2025

For the first time in its 165-year subscription series, a female conductor leads a Vienna Philharmonic subscription concert.

****1

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conducts the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Konzerthaus | Andrea Humer

White Nights and historic firsts: Gražinytė-Tyla and the Vienna Phil

Par Chanda VanderHart

The Tonkünstler-Orchester in the Musikverein © Werner Kmetitsch

Echoes of the Americas: Sierra and Ginastera meet Dvořák in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart, 05 avril 2025

Under the baton of Domingo Hindoyan, the Tonkünstler brings Latin America and Dvořák's New World Symphony to the Musikverein.

***11

The Tonkünstler-Orchester in the Musikverein © Werner Kmetitsch

Echoes of the Americas: Sierra and Ginastera meet Dvořák in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Evgeny Akimov (Don Jerome) and ensemble © Werner Kmetitsch

Fish, frocks and farce: a Prokofiev romp at Theater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 28 mars 2025

Damiano Michieletto directs a slick and frequently hilarious staging of Prokofiev's comic opera Betrothal in a Monastery.

***11

Evgeny Akimov (Don Jerome) and ensemble © Werner Kmetitsch

Fish, frocks and farce: a Prokofiev romp in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Asmik Grigorian (Norma) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Adalgisa) © Monika Rittershaus

Grigorian and Akhmetshina dazzle in a secular Norma at Theater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 19 février 2025

In a week where Vienna welcomes two new productions of Bellini's Norma, MusikTheater an der Wien sets a high bar with Vasily Barkhatov's staging.

****1

Asmik Grigorian (Norma) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Adalgisa) © Monika Rittershaus

Grigorian and Akhmetshina dazzle in a secular Norma

Par Chanda VanderHart

Seiyoung Kim (Harlequin), Josef Wagner (Death), Wallis Giunta and Marta Schiumarini (Drummer) © Ashley Taylor

Death, interrupted: KaiserRequiem moves at the Volksoper in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart, 25 janvier 2025

Omer Meir Wellber’s Mozart-Ullmann mash-up sounds like a terrible idea, but absolutely hits the mark.

****1

Seiyoung Kim (Harlequin), Josef Wagner (Death), Wallis Giunta and Marta Schiumarini (Drummer) © Ashley Taylor

Death, interrupted: KaiserRequiem moves at the Volksoper

Par Chanda VanderHart

Klaus Mäkelä © Wiener Philharmoniker | Raphael Mittendorfer

A towering Mahler 6 from Klaus Mäkelä and the Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 13 décembre 2024

A “baptism by fire”... but not for Klaus Mäkelä, making his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein in Mahler's Sixth Symphony.

****1

Klaus Mäkelä © Wiener Philharmoniker | Raphael Mittendorfer

A towering Mahler 6 from Klaus Mäkelä and the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart

Josef Wagner (Gustav Mahler) and Annette Dasch (Alma Mahler-Gropius-Werfel) © Barbara Pálffy | Volksoper Wien

Ella Milch-Sheriff’s Alma emerges as a dark triumph at the Volksoper Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 31 octobre 2024

A haunting, musically compelling impression of a woman whose life was shaped by creation, loss, and unfulfilled thirst for personal expression.

****1

Josef Wagner (Gustav Mahler) and Annette Dasch (Alma Mahler-Gropius-Werfel) © Barbara Pálffy | Volksoper Wien

Ella Milch-Sheriff’s Alma emerges as a dark triumph at the Volksoper

Par Chanda VanderHart

Katia Ledoux (Carmen) and Tomislav Mužek (Don José) © Barbara Pálffy | Volksoper Wien

Femicide! A new controversial Carmen from Lotte de Beer at the Volksoper

Par Chanda VanderHart, 06 octobre 2024

Lotte de Beer’s new retelling at the Volksoper reintroduces the element of shock into Bizet's popular opera.

****1

Katia Ledoux (Carmen) and Tomislav Mužek (Don José) © Barbara Pálffy | Volksoper Wien

Femicide! A controversial Carmen from Lotte de Beer at the Volksoper

Par Chanda VanderHart

Karina Canellakis © Amar Ahmedinovic

Grounded Beethoven, intense Shostakovich: Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart, 12 mai 2024

Karina Canellakis brings her Netherlands Radio Philharmonic to the Musikverein, joined by Emanuel Ax in Beethoven's Second Piano Concerto.

****1

Karina Canellakis © Amar Ahmedinovic

Grounded Beethoven, intense Shostakovich in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Magdalena Anna Hofmann, Christine Schäfer and Klangforum Wien © Werner Kmetitsch

(Un)Lucky stars: Freitag, der Dreizehnte celebrates Schoenberg at the Reaktor

Par Chanda VanderHart, 28 avril 2024

What do you get for the composer who made – and also kind of broke – everything? Arnold Schoenberg’s well-documented phobia of the number 13 aside, he could not have asked for a superior tribute in his 150th anniversary year.

****1

Magdalena Anna Hofmann, Christine Schäfer and Klangforum Wien © Werner Kmetitsch

Freitag, der Dreizehnte celebrates Schoenberg at the Reaktor

Par Chanda VanderHart

Igor Levit, Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic © Amar Mehmedinovic | Musikverein Wien

Two portraits of Brahms at the Musikverein: Thielemann, Levit and the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart, 13 avril 2024

Even if Igor Levit is not quite in his wheelhouse with Brahms, the Vienna Philharmonic plays a home game in the second half with his D major symphony.

****1

Igor Levit, Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic © Amar Mehmedinovic | Musikverein Wien

Two portraits of Brahms at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Carlo Lepore (Kublai Khan), Fabio Capitanucci (Orcano) and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor © Herwig Prammer

Not quite a premiere, not quite a success: Salieri’s Kublai Khan at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 07 avril 2024

Martin G Berger exhaustively reworks the story and the libretto of Salieri's Cublai, gran kan de' Tartari and throws the kitchen sink at this new production, but not everything lands well.

***11

Carlo Lepore (Kublai Khan), Fabio Capitanucci (Orcano) and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor © Herwig Prammer

Not quite a premiere, not quite a success: Salieri’s Kublai Khan

Par Chanda VanderHart

Martha Argerich, Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Philharmoniker | Niklas Schnaubelt

Sinning on a Sunday: Argerich, Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart, 17 mars 2024

In the sacred golden temple that is the Musikverein, Martha Argerich plays Ravel's saucy Piano Concerto in G major, before the Philharmoniker and Zubin Mehta play Bruckner's Seventh Symphony.

****1

Martha Argerich, Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic © Wiener Philharmoniker | Niklas Schnaubelt

Sinning on a Sunday: Argerich, Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart

Sol Gabetta © Andrea Humer | Wiener Konzerthaus

Sol Gabetta shines in Dvořák with the Estonian Festival Orchestra

Par Chanda VanderHart, 24 janvier 2024

The Estonian Festival Orchestra revels in Dvořák and Tchaikovsky on the Vienna leg of its European tour with Paavo Järvi.

****1

Sol Gabetta © Andrea Humer | Wiener Konzerthaus

Sol Gabetta shines in Dvořák with the Estonian Festival Orchestra

Par Chanda VanderHart

Ben McAteer (Pangloss), James Newby, Nikola Hillebrand, Matthew Newlin and Tatiana Kuryatnikova © Werner Kmetitsch

The Best of All Possible Satires: Candide sparkles at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 19 janvier 2024

Lydia Steier's new production of Candide is a kaleidoscopic celebration of Leonard Bernstein's varied musical idioms.

*****

Ben McAteer (Pangloss), James Newby, Nikola Hillebrand, Matthew Newlin and Tatiana Kuryatnikova © Werner Kmetitsch

The Best of All Possible Satires: Candide sparkles in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Bogdan Volkov (Rinuccio), Ambrogio Maestri (Gianni Schicchi) and Serena Sáenz (Lauretta) © Wiener Staatsoper | Michael Pöhn

Two-thirds of a triumph: Tatjana Gürbaca’s Trittico at the Wiener Staatsoper

Par Chanda VanderHart, 16 octobre 2023

The first premiere of the new Staatsoper season is a qualified success, led by Eleanora Buratto's superb Suor Angelica and Ambrogio Maestri's masterly Gianni Schicchi in Puccini's triptych of one-act operas.

****1

Bogdan Volkov (Rinuccio), Ambrogio Maestri (Gianni Schicchi) and Serena Sáenz (Lauretta) © Wiener Staatsoper | Michael Pöhn

Two-thirds of a triumph: Tatjana Gürbaca’s Trittico in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Vera-Lotte Boecker (Lulu) and Bo Skovhus (Dr Schön) © Monika Rittershaus

Deconstructed within an inch of its life: Lulu at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 31 mai 2023

Marlene Monteiro Freitas directs her first opera, in which Lulu, if not buried alive, is certainly left completely unrecognizable.

**111

Vera-Lotte Boecker (Lulu) and Bo Skovhus (Dr Schön) © Monika Rittershaus

Deconstructed within an inch of its life: a new Lulu in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Petr Sokolov (Lébedyev), Dmitry Golovnin (Prince Myschkin) and Dmitry Cheblykov (Rogózhin) © Monika Rittershaus

The Idiot: Weinberg’s Dostoevsky drama crushes at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 30 avril 2023

Vasily Barkhatov directs a new production of Mieczysław Weinberg's rarely staged, massive and unwieldy opera at the MuseumsQuartier.

****1

Petr Sokolov (Lébedyev), Dmitry Golovnin (Prince Myschkin) and Dmitry Cheblykov (Rogózhin) © Monika Rittershaus

Weinberg’s Dostoevsky drama crushes at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart

Ian Bostridge © Kalpesh Lathigra

Mehldau and Bostridge’s tone-deaf folly at the Konzerthaus

Par Chanda VanderHart, 13 avril 2023

Brad Mehldau’s song cycle is a disappointment, the texts selected under the rubric of “desire” proving a major concern.

**111

Ian Bostridge © Kalpesh Lathigra

Mehldau and Bostridge’s tone-deaf folly at the Konzerthaus

Par Chanda VanderHart

Ying Fang (Susanna) and Peter Kellner (Figaro) © Wiener Staatsoper | Michael Pöhn

Kosky's strongly cast Figaro brings down the house at the Wiener Staatsoper

Par Chanda VanderHart, 13 mars 2023

Despite an incapacitated Ying Fang miming the role of Susanna, the brilliant cast makes Barrie Kosky's new production worth the night out in Vienna.

****1

Ying Fang (Susanna) and Peter Kellner (Figaro) © Wiener Staatsoper | Michael Pöhn

Kosky's strongly cast Figaro brings down the house in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Tania Golden, Alexandra Maria Timmel and Bettina Soriat (the three cousins) © Werner Kmetitsch

Hilarious Périchole sends up Austrian political scandals at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 25 janvier 2023

“Lima darf nicht Österreich werden!” Offenbach's operetta is set in Lima, but really it’s Vienna in director Nikolaus Habjan uproarious production.

****1

Tania Golden, Alexandra Maria Timmel and Bettina Soriat (the three cousins) © Werner Kmetitsch

Hilarious Périchole sends up Austrian political scandals

Par Chanda VanderHart

Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Renée Fleming © Dieter Nagl

In last-minute swap, Thibaudet partners Fleming at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 12 janvier 2023

The French pianist steps in to join the American diva in the Musikverein for a program of French and German art song.

***11

Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Renée Fleming © Dieter Nagl

In last-minute swap, Thibaudet partners Fleming at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Wiener Sängerknabe (Amahl) and Dshamilja Kaiser (Amahl's Mother) © Monika and Karl Forster

Blending magic with loss: Herheim’s reimagined Amahl at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 17 décembre 2022

There is magic aplenty in director Stefan Herheim’s bold recontextualization of Gian Carlo Menotti's holiday opera.

****1

Wiener Sängerknabe (Amahl) and Dshamilja Kaiser (Amahl's Mother) © Monika and Karl Forster

Blending magic with loss: Herheim’s reimagined Amahl in Vienna

Par Chanda VanderHart

Yuja Wang and Leonidas Kavakos © Dieter Nagl

Opposites attract: Yuja Wang and Leonidas Kavakos at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 06 décembre 2022

They may seem like an odd pairing, but Wang and Kavakos defy the naysayers yet again, warming into a fascinating recital in Vienna.

****1

Yuja Wang and Leonidas Kavakos © Dieter Nagl

Opposites attract: Yuja Wang and Leonidas Kavakos at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Makrokosmos at Wien Modern © Armin Bardel

Crumb pilgrimage: mesmerizing Makrokosmos (and more) at Wien Modern

Par Chanda VanderHart, 22 novembre 2022

Founded in 1988 by Claudio Abbado, Wien Modern is perfect for the contemporary-music curious, such as this complete traversal of George Crumb's masterpiece, housed in an art nouveau theater on Steinhof.

****1

Makrokosmos at Wien Modern © Armin Bardel

Crumb pilgrimage: mesmerizing Makrokosmos (and more) at Wien Modern

Par Chanda VanderHart

Marc-André Hamelin © Sim Cannety-Clarke

A grounded recital of music on the edge: Marc-André Hamelin plays the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 19 octobre 2022

In the Brahms Saal, Marc-André Hamelin juxtaposes three Russian composers with Schubert’s long misunderstood final piano sonata.

****1

Marc-André Hamelin © Sim Cannety-Clarke

Music on the edge: Marc-André Hamelin plays the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Ya-Chung Huang (Schoolmaster) © Monika and Karl Forster

A pointed Vixen debut for Stefan Herheim at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 15 octobre 2022

Herheim’s maiden voyage in his new capacity as Intendant confirms his ability to deftly negotiate a less-than-straightforward work with care and ambition and add his own voice enthusiastically to the mix.

****1

Ya-Chung Huang (Schoolmaster) © Monika and Karl Forster

A pointed Vixen debut for Stefan Herheim at MusikTheater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart

L’Orfeo makes its Wiener Staatsoper debut in Tom Morris' aesthetically rich staging

Par Chanda VanderHart, 13 juin 2022

An energized cast delivers in a visually eye-popping production as Monteverdi's opera appears at the Haus am Ring for the very first time.

****1

Monteverdi's L’Orfeo makes its Wiener Staatsoper debut

Par Chanda VanderHart

A celebration of the mighty miniature: Mitsuko Uchida at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 29 mai 2022

A more thoughtful and intentional artist is hard to come by today, and one who graces the Musikverein donning fabulous silver shoes on top of her pianistic gifts must be heaven-sent.

****1

A celebration of the mighty miniature at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Winter in May: Simon Bode and Igor Levit at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart, 15 mai 2022

The tenor and pianist pair Britten and Schubert in their Lieder recital on the stage of the Großer Saal.

***11

Winter in May: Simon Bode and Igor Levit at the Musikverein

Par Chanda VanderHart

Heavenly respite in the Golden Hall as Anneleen Lenaerts plays Glière with the Philharmonic

Par Chanda VanderHart, 24 avril 2022

If in heaven there are indeed harps, then it would be hard to imagine a better angel to recruit than Anneleen Lenaerts, who performed Glière's concerto with her Philharmonic brothers and sisters in arms in the Musikverein.

****1

Heavenly respite in the Golden Hall as Anneleen Lenaerts plays Glière

Par Chanda VanderHart

Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d’Oro make the Konzerthaus their Eden

Par Chanda VanderHart, 20 mars 2022

Pageantry abounds as the popular mezzo-soprano turns the Konzerthaus Wien into a sort of classical music, multisensory varieté.

*****

Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d’Oro make the Konzerthaus their Eden

Par Chanda VanderHart

Transcendent new Jenůfa debuts at Theater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart, 19 février 2022

Director Lotte De Beer's thoroughly realized, aesthetically rich and beautifully executed production of Janáček's masterpiece is anchored by strong performances from Nina Stemme and Svetlana Aksenova.

*****

Transcendent new Jenůfa debuts at Theater an der Wien

Par Chanda VanderHart

Jonas Kaufmann and Lise Davidsen lend star appeal to Peter Grimes at the Staatsoper

Par Chanda VanderHart, 05 février 2022

In much anticipated role (Kaufmann) and stage (Davidsen) debuts, this revival of Peter Grimes at the Staatsoper was much anticipated, despite a production that should be put out to sea without a paddle.

***11

Kaufmann and Davidsen lend star appeal to Grimes at the Staatsoper

Par Chanda VanderHart

Feel-good factor: Leonidas Kavakos and the Symphoniker at the Konzerthaus

Par Chanda VanderHart, 03 février 2022

Kavakos’ restless approach was haunting, and during the cadenza he pared back his sound till it was nearly transparent, stopping breaths as we all leaned in.

****1

Feel-good factor: Kavakos and the Symphoniker at the Konzerthaus

Par Chanda VanderHart