ScheckOnCulture

It’s not often you see a half-naked pole dancer cavorting onstage at the Metropolitan Opera House. But that’s just one of the many startling sights in their new production of Rigoletto. Staged by theater director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American… more »

For better or worse—depending upon your predilection--the Metropolitan Opera’s The Enchanted Island is the operatic equivalent of a juke box musical. This Baroque pastiche devised and written by Jeremy Sams uses the music of such composers as Handel, Viv… more »

It’s easy to imagine that the Metropolitan Opera has by now adopted a “damned if we do, damned if we don’t” mentality. If they attempt to give operatic masterpieces a fresh, updated spin—ala Luc Bondy’s controversial production of Tosca a couple of seaso… more »

It’s the moment everyone’s been waiting for. The ride of the Valkyries, featuring that immortal Wagner music that got seared into moviegoers’ memories thanks to Apocalypse Now. And in the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Die Walküre, the scene does… more »

Most contemporary operas come and go while leaving nary a trace in the cultural zeitgeist. A rare exception is John Adams’ Nixon in China, which is finally making its debut at the Metropolitan Opera a mere 24 years after its world premiere.   The orig… more »