One of the ways that Opera Theatre of St. Louis is celebrating their 50th anniversary is by kicking it old school. With the latest production, the riotous Don Pasquale, they have called upon some familiar faces to help mark the occasion. First produced by the company five decades ago, the current staging of Don Pasquale […]
This House, Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ 44th world premiere, proves that sometimes you shouldn’t go home again. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage and her daughter, Ruby Aiyo Gerber, the production examines themes of family, legacy, and generational trauma through the lens of a Harlem family. Set in the Sugar Hill neighborhood, the opera […]
To celebrate its 50th season Opera Theatre of St. Louis didn’t just uncork a bottle of bubbly. They went and got the good stuff and gave all those who partook a giddy swill of euphoria. This is the feeling of dizzy headiness associated with the company’s opening opera, Die Fledermaus. Originally slated for production in […]
Upstream Theater’s 20th season continues with an emotionally driven presentation of Pictures From a Revolution. Staged for the first time in the United States, the play could not be timelier. Written by Italian Tino Caspanello, translated by Haun Saussy, and directed by Philip Boehm, the play centers on three revolutionaries, each given a number in […]
Haircut 100 are making up for lost time. Currently on tour with ABC and Howard Jones, their singles, “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl),” “Love Plus One,” “Fantastic Day,” and “Nobody’s Fool” were all top ten singles in Britain in 1982 and 1983. Their seminal debut, “Pelican West,” a classic album from 1982 has never sounded […]
Audiences are being blinded with science by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ stunning Galileo Galilei. Closing its 49th season, this company debut explores the dichotomy between science and theology through the life of Galileo, a visionary who challenged the churchy science of the 17th century and paved the way for modern astronomy. Originally, Phillip Glass’s […]
Passion and politics collide with dire consequences in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ mesmeric Julius Caesar. Based on Handel’s opera seria, this company premiere features a talented ensemble performing some of the grandest arias in opera. While Handel’s opera is based on Caesar’s visit to Egypt in 48 BC (during the height of the Roman […]
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ 49th season continues with a sprightly yet sorrowful production of Puccini’s La bohème. An indispensable part of the opera canon, it was last performed by the company in 2016. La bohème is based on a short story by Henri Murger, a poet and novelist known for his depictions of Parisian […]
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s 49th season begins with a vibrantly colored, laugh-out-loud production of The Barber of Seville. Last staged by the company eight years ago, this production retains the vocal ornamentation, passion, and over-the-top melodrama found in Rossini’s comic bel canto masterpiece. But there are a few big changes. First, the opera has […]
The proliferation of ‘80s bands making the concert rounds has intensified over the last decade. As a result, countless artists with a commercial hit to their name during the 1980s have cashed in on the nostalgia gravy train. This is why I approached Wang Chung’s concert on May 23rd with a hint of suspicion and […]
