All stories by Anthony Tommasini on BroadwayStars

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Some Ground Rules for Revising Operas and Musicals by Anthony Tommasini

Why do some elaborate revisions of operas and musicals draw so much fire, but not others?

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:47PM
Friday, January 13, 2012

Critic’s Notebook: Did ‘The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess’ Meets Its Goal? by Anthony Tommasini

“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” was streamlined to make the original opera more accessible and realistic, but we’re left with something slighter.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:13PM
Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Mezzo-Soprano Rosalind Elias in ‘Follies’ on Broadway by Anthony Tommasini

The mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias made her Broadway debut at 82 in the current revival of “Follies.”

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:55PM
Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Sante Fe Opera to Present Three New Works by Anthony Tommasini

One is based on the best-selling novel "Cold Mountain."

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:58PM
Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Critic’s Notebook: A Summer Blizzard at Glimmerglass by ANTHONY TOMMASINI

A new one-act opera, “A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck,” directed by Francesca Zambello, has its premiere at the Glimmerglass Festival.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:18AM
Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tyne Daly as Maria Callas vs. Maria Callas as Herself by Anthony Tommasini

Tyne Daly’s portrayal of Maris Callas in “Master Class” vs. Callas herself on recordings of her Juilliard sessions.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:01PM
Sunday, July 17, 2011

Music Review: Gun-Totin’ Brünnhilde by Anthony Tommasini

In “Annie Get Your Gun” at Glimmerglass, the soprano Deborah Voigt brings clear diction, sweetness and sassiness to the title role.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:52PM
Thursday, July 7, 2011

Opera? Musical? Please Respect the Difference by Anthony Tommasini

Words or music? The one that drives the work helps define whether it’s an opera or a musical.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:19PM
Tuesday, July 5, 2011

A Musical Impromptu by Anthony Tommasini

Outdoors on a noisy Friday night on the streets of New York, a young musician happens by a painted piano and does what comes naturally: He plays it.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:09PM
Thursday, May 12, 2011

A Big Belter Who Found a True Voice by Anthony Tommasini

Sutton Foster says she wants to be known “as an actress who sings and dances.” But this is far from the way she started off.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:11PM
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Opera Review: An Opera Strays Into a Clairvoyant Realm by Anthony Tommasini

“Séance on a Wet Afternoon” is Stephen Schwartz’s operatic version of the 1964 British film.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:12PM
Saturday, April 9, 2011

Nu? Is This 2nd Ave.? No, It’s Lincoln Center by Anthony Tommasini

Michael Tilson Thomas shared the roots of his musicianship and theatrical instincts in “The Thomashefskys,” performed with the New York Philharmonic.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:14AM
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

ArtsBeat: Anna Nicole, Jimi Hendrix and Handel in London by Anthony Tommasini

With the opera "Anna Nicole" opening this week, Anthony Tommasini explores part of London's musical past.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:14PM

Anna Nicole, Jimi Hendrix and Handel in London by Anthony Tommasini

With the opera "Anna Nicole" opening this week, Anthony Tommasini explores part of London's musical past.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:00PM

Top 10 Composers: A Young Reader Responds by Anthony Tommasini

Lucas has a passion for the Romantics.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:00AM
Saturday, January 29, 2011

Coast to Coast: A Conversation With Michael Tilson Thomas by Anthony Tommasini

Things are going great for Mr. Thomas at both jobs.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:00AM
Friday, January 28, 2011

The Sounds of the Vibraphone Summon Audiences in Miami by Anthony Tommasini

Michael Tilson Thomas, the founder and artistic director of the New World Symphony, just loves the Seikilos epitaph.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:30PM
Monday, January 24, 2011

Top 10 Composers: A Few Last Thoughts by Anthony Tommasini

I had no idea that these articles, videos and blog posts would stir up such a lively, informed and passionate online conversation, with, so far, 2,637 comments from readers.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:22AM
Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Top 10 Composers: The Romantics by Anthony Tommasini

Music lovers have long been understandably enthralled with Chopin, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Brahms and their Romantic brethren.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:00AM
Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Top 10 Composers: The Female Factor by Anthony Tommasini

The sad truth is that until relatively recent decades, women have had severely limited opportunities within all the arts, especially music and, even more, composition.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:58PM
Monday, January 17, 2011

Top 10 Composers: Hailing Opera's Shakespeare, and Its Proust by Anthony Tommasini

Verdi and Wagner were great students of Beethoven, and their operas have symphonic sweep, architectonic integrity and orchestral richness galore. In addition, you cannot discount their endur…

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:00AM
Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Top 10 Composers: Which 20th-Century Masters Will Make the Cut? by Anthony Tommasini

Though Debussy was born in 1862 and died in 1918, this path-breaker has to be considered a 20th-century giant.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:42AM
Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Top 10 Composers: The Vienna Four Part 2 by Anthony Tommasini

The argument for Mozart as the greatest composer ever would be based on his astounding versatility.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:00AM
Monday, January 10, 2011

Top 10 Composers: The Vienna Four by Anthony Tommasini

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert: What made Vienna such a hotbed?

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:04PM
Friday, January 7, 2011

Top 10 Composers: Help Write the List by Anthony Tommasini

In videos and posts on ArtsBeat over the next two weeks Anthony Tommasini will explore the qualities that make a classical composer great, maybe even the best of all time.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:00AM
Monday, December 20, 2010

A South Korean Tenor Makes His Mark at the Met, With La Scala Next by Anthony Tommasini

Yonghoon Lee wins admirers for his work in "Don Carlo."

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:21PM
Thursday, November 18, 2010

White Light Festival: A Tribute to Belief by Anthony Tommasini

Virgil Thomson, who grew up in a Baptist family and was a church organist in his youth, was never susceptible to religion, even as a child. Yet like his student Mr. Rorem, Thomson wrote many…

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:05PM
Wednesday, November 17, 2010

White Light Festival: Define Spiritual by Anthony Tommasini

I am more sympathetic to the goals behind festivals in general and was drawn into this one, despite reservations.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:10PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards