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2024

Dec 8 IN Series’ scaled down “Rigoletto” brings big top lunacy to Verdi opera
Dec 7 Experiential Orchestra adds unnecessary noise to otherwise powerful program at LoC
Nov 27 Washington Classical Review wants you!
Nov 26 December 13
Nov 25 Mäkelä and Concertgebouw signal the start of a beautiful friendship in KC visit
Nov 21 A grand night for Bruckner with Janowski, National Symphony
Nov 20 Rousset caps Festival Capriccio with celebration of French music
Nov 19 Tenor Hallam makes charismatic Vocal Arts debut mixing high and low art
Nov 18 Apollo Orchestra has a mixed outing with Shostakovich and Dvořák
Nov 16 After 21-year absence, the Berlin Philharmonic more than lives up to its name at Kennedy Center
Nov 15 Slatkin and Ax return to NSO for dramatic Mozart and compelling Walton
Nov 14 WNO’s stellar cast shines brightly amid the eerie gloom of Verdi’s “Macbeth”
Nov 11 Rarities for winds provide a breezy Chamber Music Society program at Wolf Trap
Nov 10 Scandinavian nature and American jazz mingle gracefully with Heyward, Baltimore Symphony
Nov 8 Hantaï delivers a cerebral “Goldberg Variations” for Festival Capriccio
Oct 31 Raskatov concerto highlights a blazing Russian night with Noseda, NSO
Oct 31 Childs’ work provides the highlight as Isidore Quartet opens new Fortas season
Oct 27 Justin Taylor opens Capriccio Baroque festival with a feast of Bach, Italian style
Oct 26 Zambello’s heavy-handed staging does Beethoven no favors in WNO’s “Fidelio”
Oct 22 A harpsichord festival grows in Washington, courtesy of Capriccio Baroque
Oct 22 November 26
Oct 21 Cathedral Choral Society offers expansive Brahms at National Cathedral
Oct 19 Robertson launches The Thirteen’s 13th season with masterful Bach
Oct 17 Serene Strauss with Fleming and dramatic Brahms from Noseda, NSO
Oct 10 Heroic Strauss and unforgettable Beethoven from Andsnes, Noseda and NSO
Oct 10 Songs of death and rebirth from Russian masters at RCAS program
Oct 6 Academy of St. Martin Chamber Ensemble brings verve and virtuosity to Columbia
Oct 3 Strauss songs and beloved Beethoven draw a crowd to start NSO season
Sep 30 Hersh and Ioudenitch make for rousing Apollo Orchestra opener
Sep 29 Crisis averted, NSO and Kennedy Center reunite for ebullient season opener
Sep 27 NSO strike is settled; gala concert is back on
Sep 27 NSO musicians are on strike; Saturday gala cancelled
Sep 26 Dramatic dissonance makes for a tone-deaf “Listeners” premiere at Opera Philly
Sep 23 NSO musicians vote unanimously to go on strike
Sep 21 October 22
Sep 15 New Simon commission rounds out NSO program centered on American folk song
Sep 13 Husband-and-wife Meachems open Vocal Arts season with rich wreath of song
Sep 3 Critic’s Choice 2024-2025
Aug 26 Great Falls Philharmonic marks first year as new orchestra on the block
Aug 23 Noseda and NSO serve up a spirited showcase for Carlos Simon’s music
Aug 20 September 21
Aug 18 Annapolis Chamber Music Fest breaks up summer doldrums with adventurous program
Aug 10 Wolf Trap’s stylish “Silent Night” revisits the opera’s film origins
Aug 8 Wolf Trap announces Wu Han’s final season at the Barns
Jul 20 Wolf Trap offers wintry charms on ideal summer night with a painterly “Bohème”
Jul 15 Barton brings singular artistry to wide-ranging Wolf Trap recital
Jul 13 Grevious provides inspired advocacy for Coleridge-Taylor concerto at Wolf Trap
Jun 24 August 20
Jun 22 Summer heats up operatically with revisionist “Così” at Wolf Trap
Jun 10 A tale of two rhapsodies, delivered with jazzy panache by Biegel, Fairfax Symphony
Jun 8 Noseda, NSO and strong cast deliver the grandeur and intimate drama of “Otello”
Jun 3 Exquisite soprano Fang graces Apollo Orchestra concert with new conductor
Jun 2 French harpsichordist returns to Capriccio Baroque under cover of darkness
May 30 Fast and furious: a Mahler 7 that contains multitudes from Noseda, NSO
May 24 June 25
May 20 Chiarina Chamber Players close season in thrilling style from Dvořák to Simon
May 19 Fairfax Symphony players shine in program’s invitation to the dance
May 16 Wilkins’ organic NSO program serves up a stimulating mix of old and new
May 14 Morley scales the heights in impressive finale to Vocal Arts season
May 13 Candlelight closes season with Imani Winds and a new name for a new era
May 12 WNO makes a compelling case for its new ending of Puccini’s “Turandot”
May 9 German conductor Bihlmaier at her best with Berlioz in NSO debut
May 4 Opera Lafayette unearths another charming find in Mouret opéra-ballet
May 2 Honeck brings fervent Bruckner and limpid Beethoven to latest NSO stand
May 1 Rattle returns to Washington with Bavarian RSO in richly varied program
Apr 27 Hamelin shares ghostly tales and technical wizardry at Library of Congress
Apr 24 Andsnes and Dover Quartet close Fortas season in dramatic fashion
Apr 23 Vocal Arts DC announces a varied 2024-25 season
Apr 22 May 25
Apr 22 Mezzo’s Wagner songs provides highlight of Apollo Orchestra concert
Apr 21 Gordis explores academic side of harpsichord in austere recital for Capriccio Baroque
Apr 20 Strings are the thing for CMS season finale at Wolf Trap
Apr 19 Young impressively leads NSO in kaleidoscopic works by Strauss and Saariaho
Apr 11 Zhang brings sense of mission and discipline to wide-ranging NSO program
Apr 8 Retooled Quatuor Ébène in first-class form at Shriver Hall
Apr 7 Geneva Lewis and friends shine with a soft glow for Candlelight Concert Society
Apr 4 Labadie leads an intimate, consolatory performance of Fauré Requiem
Apr 4 Cage-ian chaos shatters Feldman’s serene spell at Linehan Hall
Mar 22 Catalyst Quartet hones its contemporary edge in Studio K debut
Mar 21 April 23
Mar 18 The Thirteen’s breathless Mass in B minor achieves belated depth and resonance
Mar 15 Carlos Simon, Hub New Music program reflects tragedy and transcendence
Mar 14 Kennedy Center announces a bounteous season for 2024-2025
Mar 11 Chamber Music Society of LC serves up gourmet feast of rarities at Wolf Trap
Mar 10 Clarinetist McGill brings brilliant advocacy to concerto premiere with Fairfax Symphony
Mar 10 Charismatic Leonard can’t save WNO’s lightweight Offenbach soufflé
Mar 9 Music finds renewed life at French Embassy with L’Opéra Comique’s game Offenbach
Mar 2 Koh and Mazzoli branch out from traditional chamber concert with uneven results
Feb 24 Chamber Music Society all-stars soar in introspective piano quartet program
Feb 22 March 21
Feb 17 Melnikov-Faust-Queyras Trio bring introspective power to Library of Congress
Feb 15 Russell Thomas roves widely in Vocal Arts recital with a memorable Barber “Knoxville”
Feb 12 Sitkovetsky Trio shows poise, seasoning in Wolf Trap return
Feb 11 The Thirteen’s “Path of Miracles” proves a feast for the eyes as much as the ears
Feb 9 Opera Lafayette’s intriguing tale of two Esthers leaves one wanting more
Feb 8 NSO, Hahn preview Europe trip with polished Korngold, Beethoven
Feb 7 Estonian Choir pairs old and new in outstanding performance
Feb 4 Chee-Yun proves a violinist for all seasons with Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Jan 30 Wolf Trap announces summer selection of classical music and opera
Jan 29 Chamber Music Society mines an array of 20th century music at Wolf Trap
Jan 26 Noseda, NSO prep for European tour with richly varied program
Jan 25 Mezzo Bryce-Davis makes a refulgent debut with Vocal Arts
Jan 24 February 22
Jan 21 Leigh sculptures inspire bracing music with 21st Century Consort
Jan 20 Washington National Opera renews commitment to future of American opera
Jan 19 Shaham charms with Dvořák as Noseda, NSO scale Schubert’s epic Ninth
Jan 14 Schenkman’s convivial debut provides a musical oasis with Capriccio Baroque
Jan 11 Ring Resounding: Noseda and NSO ring in the new year with triumphant Wagner

2023

Dec 26 January 24
Dec 22 Top Ten Performances of 2023
Dec 19 Dalí Quartet brings Latin panache to Library of Congress Stradivari anniversary
Dec 15 Words matter as Equilbey puts an individual stamp on NSO “Messiah”
Dec 14 Youthful tenor Hoskins shows nascent mature artistry in Vocal Arts debut
Dec 11 ModernMedieval Voices warms bleak winter at National Gallery
Dec 4 Washington Douglass Chorale begins life in promising fashion with diverse Christmas concert
Dec 3 Concert Opera revives Rossini’s rich “Ermione” in season highlight
Dec 1 Slobodeniouk proves an impressive podium guest in commanding NSO debut
Nov 30 IN Series revives intriguing but flawed theatrical retooling of Verdi “Requiem”
Nov 27 Ballet West’s spirited “Nutcracker” returns for a welcome revival
Nov 22 December 27
Nov 20 Still at the top of their game, Orion Quartet gives a memorable swan song at Wolf Trap
Nov 19 Fleming opens Fairfax Symphony season in style
Nov 16 Ken-David Masur makes a worthy debut with National Symphony
Nov 12 Kronos Quartet marks golden anniversary by looking to future
Nov 10 Wang lights a fire and young conductor throws on the gas in blazing NSO concert
Nov 6 Rogers, National Philharmonic make a rousing case for “Cantata Criolla”
Nov 5 WNO puts the grand back in grand opera with a powerful “Roméo et Juliette”
Nov 5 Kiskachi’s infernal dance expertly assays and explodes the harpsichord
Nov 4 Zukerman celebrates platinum birthday at Wolf Trap with mixed chamber program
Nov 3 Cellist Thomas makes strongest impression in NSO’s romantic program
Nov 2 Yuri Temirkanov (1938-2023)
Oct 29 Despite radiant D’Angelo, WNO’s “Grounded” misses the target
Oct 27 Edusei deftly leads National Symphony in a refreshingly national program
Oct 26 Opera Lafayette enters new era by reaffirming French baroque focus
Oct 24 November 22
Oct 22 Australian Haydn Ensemble provides a fascinating blast from the Classical past
Oct 19 META4 makes remarkable DC debut at Library of Congress
Oct 16 With a new Guarneri in tow, Hadelich launches Fortas chamber season in style
Oct 14 The Thirteen make a glorious sound in a Monteverdi vesper feast
Oct 10 Maryland Lyric Opera to shut down
Oct 9 Inscape revels in chamber rarities in scintillating UMBC concert
Oct 8 Time marches on in Cantate Chamber Singers’ uneven season opener
Oct 6 Bignamini steps in impressively to lead NSO’s cinematic Roman holiday
Oct 2 Fauré Quartett opens Candlelight Concert Society season in style
Sep 29 Usual suspects avoided in Noseda’s Rachmaninoff program with NSO
Sep 25 At start of seventh season, Noseda is happy and ready for new challenges with NSO
Sep 25 Aided by a stellar soloist, Apollo Orchestra steps up its game in season opener
Sep 24 NSO and friends fête opening of Noseda’s seventh season in style
Sep 23 Dueling fathers rule “Boccanegra” in Philadelphia’s wide-ranging fall festival
Sep 22 Philly Opera’s “10 Days” compellingly explores the notion of “madness”
Sep 22 Costanzo’s freewheeling program opens Vocal Arts season with mixed rewards
Sep 22 October 24
Sep 18 Chiarina opens season with slenderized concertos by Mozart, Beethoven
Sep 16 Mixed results as Bell dons conductor hat with NSO
Sep 11 Trio Sirènes opens new UMBC chamber series with alluring program
Sep 4 Critic’s Choice 2023-24
Aug 31 Richmond Ballet lights up the summer sky with “Carmina Burana”
Aug 21 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival fills a late-summer void with sea-faring rarities
Aug 20 September 22
Aug 12 Intriguing take on “Don Giovanni” rounds out a winning opera season at Wolf Trap
Aug 8 Wolf Trap’s 2023-24 season keeps the classical focus on chamber music
Aug 5 Hahn delivers fresh and dramatic Brahms at Wolf Trap with NSO
Jul 31 A dazzling desert season bears rich fruit with Santa Fe Opera’s Debussy, Monteverdi
Jul 28 ABT brings a haunting “Giselle” to the dark woods of Wolf Trap
Jul 22 Singers soar as angels and demons do battle in Wolf Trap’s “Faust”
Jul 20 Conductor Patrick Quigley to take the reins at Opera Lafayette in 2025
Jul 14 Digital accuracy apart, Booth brings skill, dedication to Capriccio Baroque program
Jul 8 National Symphony achieves liftoff with “The Planets” at Wolf Trap
Jun 26 Wolf Trap Opera brings vocal and visual splendor to Handel’s “Semele”
Jun 19 August 20
Jun 9 A neglected Price concerto and impressive podium stand highlight NSO season finale
Jun 5 National Philharmonic wraps season with stirring Hailstork premiere
Jun 5 Soprano Park delivers the highlights as Chan closes Apollo Orchestra season
Jun 4 Kaija Saariaho 1952-2023
Jun 1 Noseda and NSO wrap Beethoven cycle with a fast and furious Ninth
May 28 Harpsichordist Busettini surveys Roman keyboard virtuosos with mixed results
May 24 Walker’s Second pairs well with Beethoven’s in NSO series
May 24 June 20
May 21 Noseda, NSO hit their stride with Beethoven “Pastoral” and Still Second
May 20 The Thirteen wraps ambitious season with epic finale
May 14 Boisterous and glamorous “La Bohème” takes back the Opera House for WNO
May 14 Zuill Bailey comes home for up-and-down Dvořák with Fairfax Symphony
May 13 Symphonic worlds collide with Noseda, NSO
May 5 Abduraimov’s pianism the highlight of Heyward’s return to BSO podium
May 1 Technically sublime, spiritually mixed “Vespers” at National Cathedral
May 1 Lin joins roster guest conducting Apollo Orchestra in mixed concert
Apr 30 Duo Gordis-Hantaï combine in stellar baroque recital for Capriccio series
Apr 28 Horns to the fore in Noseda’s delightfully offbeat NSO program
Apr 24 May 24
Apr 24 Jerusalem Quartet proves revelatory in dark program for Candlelight
Apr 23 Fairfax Symphony rises to the occasion in a night of Romantic blockbusters
Apr 22 Back from Carnegie, Noseda & NSO return with dynamic program and world premiere
Apr 20 Amid worries, Taiwan Philharmonic makes strong showing in historic D.C. visit
Apr 18 Llewellyn provides sterling advocacy for Coleridge-Taylor songs in Vocal Arts recital
Apr 17 Jenkins’ pedestrian oratorio receives game advocacy from Cantate Concert Choir
Apr 14 Noseda, NSO and Trifonov preview thrilling program before taking it on the road
Mar 27 Brownlee casts a wide net with songs spotlighting Harlem Renaissance poets
Mar 23 Kochanovsky makes impressive U.S. debut with NSO
Mar 22 April 25
Mar 20 Cantate Chamber Singers offer a mixed bag of contemporary music
Mar 19 Taylor takes audience on a lively and illuminating Italian tour for Capriccio Baroque
Mar 13 Chiarina Chamber Players serve up a bracing program of Brahms and the Schumanns
Mar 12 Conflicting views of police find harmony in Washington National Opera’s “Blue”
Mar 12 Guitarist Vieaux serves up two concertos and a premiere with the Fairfax Symphony
Mar 9 Kennedy Center announces feast (symphony and chamber music) and famine (opera) for 2023-2024 season
Mar 7 Intense and individual Mahler from Payare, Montreal Symphony
Mar 6 Immersive “Secret Byrd” event keeps focus on the music at National Cathedral
Mar 5 Walker, Concert Opera close season with musical fireworks in dazzling “Nabucco”
Mar 4 Auguin’s masterful conducting ignites a spectacular “Otello” from Maryland Lyric Opera
Mar 4 The Thirteen and friends tackle Rachmaninoff’s weighty “Vespers”
Mar 2 Dueling debuts, boisterous energy at NSO concert
Feb 24 Simone Young replaces ailing Eschenbach in subtle program with NSO
Feb 22 March 22
Feb 20 Pogorelc makes dazzling Vocal Arts DC debut with program of rarities
Feb 17 Elder, NSO deliver energy without neglecting eternity in Mahler’s Ninth
Feb 16 Calidore Quartet makes a triumphant return to Kennedy Center
Feb 13 Beau Soir Ensemble’s light program draws a full audience on Super Bowl Sunday
Feb 12 Pine, Fairfax Symphony give worthy advocacy to revived Price concerto
Feb 9 Urbański leads NSO in a frenzied yet thrilling bacchanalia
Feb 7 Lang Lang’s curious “Goldbergs” stretches Bach to extremes
Feb 3 Quigley, fine cast illuminate the secular and sacred Pergolesi for Opera Lafayette
Feb 3 Beatrice Rana makes understated NSO debut with Schumann
Feb 1 Sphinx celebrates 25 years of bringing greater diversity to the concert stage
Jan 27 February 24
Jan 26 A game of mixed sextets in rewarding Fortas Chamber program at the Kennedy Center
Jan 23 New Carlos Simon work brings attention to neglected opera impresario
Jan 23 Mixed all-Schubert concert by Escher Quartet and Kalish at Wolf Trap
Jan 22 Abduraimov paints vivid “Pictures” in thrilling Candlelight recital
Jan 21 Maryland Lyric Opera’s uproarious “Falstaff” has some rough edges
Jan 20 Brutal Shostakovich, vital Bruckner from Kavakos, Noseda and NSO
Jan 13 Cho delivers blockbuster Brahms with Noseda, National Symphony

2022

Dec 24 January 27
Dec 21 Top Ten Performances of 2022
Dec 19 After guilt trip intro, National Philharmonic offers worthy singing in a cut and speedy “Messiah”
Dec 17 Robertson leads The Thirteen in offbeat baroque Christmas concert
Dec 16 Washington Arts Ensemble flourishes with new downtown series
Dec 12 Cantate holiday program serves up bracing mix of the traditional and contemporary
Dec 9 Mezzo Chaieb charms in alluring Vocal Arts recital on exotic themes
Dec 5 Scarlata delivers a powerful, affecting “Winterreise” for Chiarina Chamber Players
Nov 22 December 24
Nov 19 Opera Baltimore goes site specific with a mixed, manorial “Turn of the Screw”
Nov 14 Maryland Lyric Opera fields excellent cast in extravagant “Ballo in Maschera”
Nov 14 Cantate Chamber Singers excel with modern works in mixed concert
Nov 13 The Thirteen sings of love and death in unaccompanied tour de force
Nov 12 Violinist Huang conveys wartime violence and reflection in Wolf Trap program
Nov 9 Podger delivers stellar solo violin program at Library of Congress
Nov 6 Smithsonian Chamber Music Society returns to life with Bach, harpsichords and violas da gamba
Nov 5 IN Series’ amalgam of love and death strikes a surreal note of remembrance
Oct 31 Neely brings fresh fire and polish to Apollo Orchestra
Oct 30 Hamelin’s natural eloquence is manifest in music of Beethoven, Fauré and Hamelin
Oct 29 Wolf Trap opens chamber music season with piano quintets and violin morsels
Oct 27 Capriccio Baroque crowns season with Rondeau’s freely individual “Goldbergs”
Oct 24 Isserlis brings heart-melting tone to Shriver Hall program heavy on dessert
Oct 24 November 22
Oct 22 The Thirteen opens season in stirring fashion with Monteverdi’s epic “Vespers”
Oct 16 Fairfax Symphony opens anniversary season with romantic blockbusters
Oct 11 Michael Spyres ranges widely, masterfully in Vocal Arts DC debut
Oct 10 Brentano Quartet, Fiterstein deliver seamless pleasures for Candlelight
Oct 3 Opera Philadelphia’s deafening “Black Lodge” mix upends world premiere
Oct 2 Harpsichordist Wilson fascinatingly blends Venetian art and music for Capriccio Baroque
Oct 2 Attacca Quartet opens Chiarina residency with exhilarating performances
Oct 1 Annapolis Symphony celebrates 60th season with all-American program
Sep 30 Akutagawa pairs familiar and obscure in Teutonic-themed Capriccio recital
Sep 27 W(h)ither opera at the Kennedy Center?
Sep 24 Opera Philadelphia excavates a fascinating rarity with Rossini’s tri-tenor “Otello”
Sep 24 Maryland Lyric Opera opens season with mixed “Macbeth” and new conductor
Sep 23 October 25
Sep 22 Opera Philadelphia makes a strong case for Hosokawa’s haunting “The Raven”
Sep 19 Bach Consort considers old and new perspectives in diverting season opener
Sep 19 Apollo Orchestra opens season with worthy Ravel and Tchaikovsky
Sep 13 Critic’s Choice 2022-23
Sep 12 The Knights mark Candlelight milestone with absorbing Kreutzer program
Sep 10 Monteverdi meets Noh theater with IN Series’ imaginative “Orpheus”
Aug 21 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival offers a rich oasis in dry late summer
Aug 19 September 23
Aug 13 Floyd’s masterful “Susannah” makes its belated debut at Wolf Trap
Jul 22 Baltimore Symphony names rising young conductor as next music director
Jul 16 Young singers and conductor impress in Wolf Trap Opera’s “Traviata”
Jun 30 Maryland Lyric Opera returns to the stage with an outstanding “Figaro”
Jun 27 August 19
Jun 20 Shaky ensemble moments apart, Lin’s playing shines with Apollo Orchestra
Jun 19 Weber’s masterwork, “Der Freischütz,” gets a fresh (and rare) revival at Wolf Trap
Jun 17 Scott Tucker departs from Choral Arts Society with a night of elegiac Brahms
Jun 3 Opera Lafayette revives a Grétry comic opera, with a charming American twist
Jun 2 Pianist Várjon brings freshness, probing depth to Candlelight program
May 26 Pianist Cann delivers enthusiastic tribute to Hazel Scott for Washington Performing Arts
May 24 Choral Arts presents unwieldy yet powerful “African American Requiem”
May 24 June 27
May 23 Erin Morley soars in Washington Concert Opera’s superb “Lakmé”
May 22 Marsh makes his mark with Washington Bach Consort in “St. Matthew Passion”
May 14 The Thirteen premieres a haunting, heartening fable with “Outer Edge of Youth”
May 14 Maryland Lyric Opera’s fine cast ends season with sinister “Don Carlo”
May 9 Wu Han and friends conclude Wolf Trap season with jazz-inspired program
May 6 Christian Reif brings enthusiasm and some haste to Baltimore Symphony program
May 2 Apollo Orchestra returns from lockdown with solemn and joyful music
Apr 25 DiDonato plants a seed with ecology-themed, rock-show recital
Apr 25 Washington Concert Opera serves up a vocally opulent “Orphée”
Apr 24 Cuarteto Latinoamericano celebrates forty years together with fiesta of Mexican music
Apr 21 At 20th anniversary, “Defiant Requiem” still makes a powerful statement
Apr 21 PostClassical Ensemble misses the mark in bizarre Mahler melange
Apr 20 May 24
Apr 11 Sandbox Percussion brings back live (and loud) music to Dumbarton Oaks
Apr 10 Roomful of Teeth serves up a rewarding sampler of contemporary vocal music
Apr 9 Chiarina Chamber Players whets appetite with food-themed Carlos Simon premiere
Apr 7 Barton closes Vocal Arts season with a powerful Heggie-centered program
Apr 2 CMS Lincoln Center presents mixed all-string program at Wolf Trap
Mar 22 April 20
Mar 19 PostClassical Ensemble spotlights the neglected music of William Dawson
Mar 16 Elena Villalón displays striking talent in Vocal Arts debut
Mar 14 Ethel Smyth’s soaring Mass a standout in Cathedral Choral Society’s program of women composers
Mar 12 Wolf Trap christens new piano in mixed Chopin program by Chamber Music Society
Mar 7 Arresting Simpson premiere highlights return of Cantate Chamber Singers
Feb 28 Aimard deconstructs the fantasia in brilliant Candlelight recital
Feb 26 Maryland Lyric Opera returns to live performance with roof-raising Puccini
Feb 25 March 22
Feb 21 Miró Quartet shines in music of Ravel and Kevin Puts at Wolf Trap
Feb 11 Music of Wagner returns in style to Baltimore Symphony with Conlon, Goerke
Feb 6 21st Century Consort serves up a generous array of new music at St. Mark’s
Feb 2 Baritone Liverman brings light to darkness in Vocal Arts recital
Feb 1 Wolf Trap to return to normal with a bounteous summer season
Jan 25 Chiarina Chamber Players serve up Schoenberg rarities in dynamic concert
Jan 24 Isbin brings virtuosic fire, story-telling charm to Spanish program at Wolf Trap
Jan 23 February 25
Jan 10 Portillo’s pleasing recital marks Vocal Arts’ live return to the Kennedy Center
Jan 7 Adams concerto a highlight in Bancroft’s breathless Baltimore Symphony debut

2021

Dec 22 January 23
Dec 20 Top Ten Performances of 2021
Dec 14 Chiarina Chamber Players balance light and dark in engaging concert
Dec 13 Washington Performing Arts and pianist Tiffany Poon return to the stage with smart, insightful Schumann program
Dec 11 Folger Consort moves to St. Mark’s for medieval Christmas celebration
Dec 6 IN Series present imaginative “radio” retooling of Purcell’s “Fairy Queen”
Dec 5 21st Century Consort program spans the spectrum at St. Mark’s Church
Nov 23 December 22
Nov 22 Washington Concert Opera triumphantly returns with Rossini’s “Maometto II”
Nov 20 Bach Consort looks backward from Bach to another master of counterpoint
Nov 15 With a delightful Caroline Shaw premiere, the Miró Quartet heralds a joyous return of live music to Shriver Hall
Nov 13 McDermott lifts Chamber Music Society’s Spanish-themed evening at Wolf Trap
Nov 7 Inscape Chamber Orchestra excavates a trio of neglected American gems
Nov 7 Alexandria Symphony embraces innovation in its new live season
Nov 5 Kanneh-Mason brings daring Clara Schumann concerto to the BSO
Nov 1 Pisaroni goes beyond opera in streamed recital for Vocal Arts DC
Oct 25 November 23
Oct 25 Smart program highlights return of Wu Han, Chamber Music Society to Wolf Trap
Oct 18 Min Kwon brings her “America/Beautiful” project to Phillips Collection
Oct 10 Fairfax Symphony debuts classical music at Capital One Hall in rough and ready season opener
Oct 9 Hopkins presents powerful new Heggie work in recital for Vocal Arts DC
Oct 6 UrbanArias, Wolf Trap commemorate the Tomb of the Unknowns with premiere of song cycle
Oct 2 Conlon’s sumptuous performance of neglected rarities steers Baltimore Symphony in a fresh new direction
Sep 27 John Luther Adams’ “Sila” breathes new life into Kennedy Center’s REACH
Sep 27 Political polemics undermine IN Series’ message of hope and healing
Sep 26 Baltimore Symphony returns to the Meyerhoff for thrilling program under Stasevska
Sep 23 October 28
Sep 20 Golda Schultz kicks off Vocal Arts’ virtual fall with women composers
Sep 19 Capriccio Baroque series reopens with versatile Vinikour at the harpsichord
Sep 13 New Constellations series goes back to nature in adventurous season opener
Sep 10 Opera Lafayette returns with Westernized retooling of a French Baroque comedy
Aug 21 September 23
Aug 7 Fleming makes brief but compelling return to Wolf Trap with the NSO
Aug 6 Michael Tilson Thomas recovering from surgery for brain tumor
Jul 24 Incandescent opera rarities with NSO and Wolf Trap Opera stars, past and present
Jul 17 There’s a lot to love in Wolf Trap’s “Cinderella”/“Sāvitri” double bill
Jul 9 Two captivating debuts spotlight NSO program at Wolf Trap
Jul 2 Thunder strikes onstage and off as NSO marks a half-century at Wolf Trap
Jun 28 Superb voices hit the heights in Washington Concert Opera’s pared-down “Puritani”
Jun 26 August 22
Jun 19 Wolf Trap Opera and NSO revive forgotten, fizzy French work
Jun 13 Susan Graham and friends bring back the opera at live WNO gala
Jun 4 NSO, Noseda play “Name That Tune” in quirky evening of composer surprises
May 29 June 26
May 29 NSO, Noseda return live with a little help from their friends
May 25 Kennedy Center announces a bountiful season for National Symphony, Fortas series
May 24 Chiarina Chamber Players light up a sultry evening on Capitol Hill
May 18 Noseda, National Symphony unearth a neglected gem by Louise Farrenc
May 13 WNO announces a cautious return to opera in 2021-22 season
May 8 Ensemble Correspondances brings the Louvre’s musical pleasures to life
May 3 Attacca Quartet, Caroline Shaw team up for intimate program at the Phillips
Apr 28 Wolf Trap announces a summer season of outdoor concerts (with audiences)
Apr 25 May 29
Apr 24 Playfulness and tragedy blended with mastery in András Schiff recital
Apr 20 Jumppanen’s daring recital wanders from Schubert to atmospheric premiere
Apr 17 Noseda explores delightful rarities in latest NSO stream
Apr 9 Mezzo D’Angelo fêtes Vocal Arts anniversary in style
Apr 7 Soprano illumes music from the 1918 pandemic in Epiphany program
Apr 6 Kennedy Center to mark 50th anniversary season with a bevy of premieres
Mar 29 National Cathedral presents austere Couperin for Holy Week reflection
Mar 28 The Thirteen courts fresh controversy in political staging of Bach’s “St. John Passion”
Mar 25 April 27
Mar 20 After year of lockdown, Noseda makes welcome virtual return to NSO podium
Mar 19 Lise Davidsen stunning in program of rarities for Vocal Arts DC
Mar 8 Andres and Priday stream wide-ranging American recital for Phillips Collection
Feb 26 Gilfry’s mixed recital for Vocal Arts goes from chansons to kitsch
Feb 24 March events
Feb 22 Trifonov’s defiant, authoritative Prokofiev takes the prize in streaming program
Feb 14 A refitted Shanghai Quartet brings warmth, drama to the National Museum of Asian Art
Jan 27 Streaming events
Jan 21 Bass-baritone Tines reimagines Bach, spirituals in Vocal Arts recital
Jan 18 Shifrin’s clarinet cries and croons in varied Lincoln Center program at Wolf Trap

2020

Dec 22 Streaming events
Dec 13 Borromeo Quartet explores Beethoven and his forebears for Candlelight Concerts
Dec 12 Canadian friends pay tribute to birthday-boy Beethoven
Dec 5 Kalish spotlighted in varied chamber program from Lincoln Center
Nov 30 Streaming events
Nov 30 Polenzani kicks off a virtual Vocal Arts season with strong program
Nov 19 Kennedy Center is looking at $80 million loss due to Covid; spring opera, all performances cancelled through April
Nov 18 Baltimore Symphony taps James Conlon for post-Alsop transition era
Nov 15 In virtual debut, Rogers leads Washington Chorus in Covid-inspired premiere
Nov 14 Dal Niente breaks the musical lockdown with help from the Library of Congress
Oct 27 Streaming
Oct 22 Wu Han, Lincoln Center Chamber Society retool for a virtual broadcast season
Oct 18 Beethoven-inspired piano project brightest in new music
Sep 23 Where classical music will be this fall in the D.C. area
Sep 19 October 30
Sep 19 A serendipitous streaming tribute to women’s suffrage from The Thirteen
Sep 8 Summer night at the drive-in with the National Symphony Orchestra
Aug 28 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra announces five-year contract agreement
Aug 3 Leon Fleisher (1928-2020)
Jul 28 With two welcome exhibit extensions, National Gallery of Art partially reopens
Jul 23 Kennedy Center will offer limited live concerts in phase three of reopening
Jun 25 Wolf Trap finds an operatic solution to summer closure
Jun 25 September 19
Jun 25 More area presenters announce summer and fall plans
Jun 23 Kennedy Center cancels most fall events; will reopen in 2021
Jun 21 Live music returns, offering a preview of the new concert normal
Jun 11 Washington musicians get creative in the wake of Covid-19 fallout
Jun 2 Ten Recordings for Challenging Times
May 22 Classical music and opera streams to watch in Washington
May 16 James Merle Weaver 1937-2020
May 13 What will the fall music season look like? Smaller, less epic and more soloistic—if it happens
May 1 Editor’s note
Apr 10 Ten Recordings to get you through the shutdown (Part II)
Apr 7 Kennedy Center reaches new contract with NSO that keeps musicians on the payroll
Apr 1 Krzysztof Penderecki 1933-2020
Mar 30 Ten Recordings to get you through the shutdown (Part I)
Mar 29 NSO musicians furloughed hours after Kennedy Center received $25 million
Mar 24 April 30
Mar 17 Streaming links to get your music fix during the COVID-19 quarantine
Mar 14 Editors’ note on the coronavirus
Mar 12 Kennedy Center leads cultural closings across the region
Mar 8 Waiting for Odysseus: “Sirens” crowns IN Series’ Women Composers Festival
Mar 6 Apollo Orchestra delivers worthy Respighi, Beethoven
Mar 5 PostClassical Ensemble fetes Armenian music and history at National Cathedral
Mar 4 Critic’s Choice
Mar 3 WNO strips Domingo’s name from young artist program
Mar 2 Bridges’ blazing WNO debut leads an excellent cast and vibrant production in “Samson et Dalila”
Mar 2 Mozart and more in unique program from Cantate Chamber Singers
Mar 1 WNO delivers fine singing, #MeToo overtones in “Don Giovanni”
Feb 29 Brentano Quartet presents a unique program for Beethoven year at Wolf Trap
Feb 28 Noseda, NSO make a brilliant showing as rest of Asian tour gets canceled
Feb 27 Beethoven’s “Leonore” lives again in Opera Lafayette’s fascinating revival
Feb 26 Alsop to depart Baltimore Symphony in 2021
Feb 23 March 24
Feb 23 Schumann Quartett dazzles in Candlelight Concert program
Feb 20 Noseda and NSO offer compelling preview of Japan program
Feb 19 Critic’s Choice
Feb 18 Sasha Cooke brings artistic depth to melancholy Schumann for Vocal Arts
Feb 15 Impassioned rarities for two violins in Valentine’s Day program at Wolf Trap
Feb 14 Havana Lyceum Orchestra presents busy, revisionist production of Mozart’s “Clemenza di Tito”
Feb 13 Critic’s Choice
Feb 12 Wolf Trap announces diverting 2020 summer season
Feb 11 NSO to focus on new music in Kennedy Center’s 2020-21 season
Feb 8 Stile Antico shines fresh light on a forgotten woman composer
Feb 6 A heroic solo debut and thrilling Nielsen from Gardner, NSO
Feb 5 Critic’s Choice
Feb 4 NSO drops China dates from Asian tour due to coronavirus
Feb 2 Young singers prove most consistent in Maryland Lyric Opera’s uneven “Thaïs”
Feb 1 Asko|Schönberg stuns Library of Congress with intensity and precision
Jan 31 Manfred Honeck finds the unexpected in Mozart and Dvořák with NSO
Jan 26 Poulenc Trio confronts their namesake’s image at Candlelight Concert Society
Jan 25 Eschenbach returns to NSO with sanguine Dvořák and Schumann
Jan 18 Soprano Rosa Feola makes radiant Washington debut with Vocal Arts DC
Jan 17 Taste of New Zealand from NSO, conductor Gemma New
Jan 13 A “Winterreise” of contained fury from Liverman, Noda at Wolf Trap
Jan 13 Roberto Diaz shines in Higdon Viola Concerto with Apollo Orchestra
Jan 11 WNO’s American Opera Initiative serves up an intriguing trio of new works
Jan 5 IN Series’ cabaret “Carmen” a travesty in more ways than one

2019

Dec 23 Top Ten Performances of 2019
Dec 23 Washington Bach Consort marks the season with a worthy “Christmas Oratorio”
Dec 22 21st Century Consort offers an ingenious Christmas program from Thomas to Crumb
Dec 20 Andrew Davis brings his souped-up “Messiah” to National Symphony
Dec 18 February 23
Dec 15 IN Series’ “L’enfance” presents a theatrical take on Berlioz’s Christmas oratorio
Dec 15 Calmus offers polished seasonal illumination for Candlelight Concert Society
Dec 12 Fast-rising soprano Michelle Bradley sensational in Vocal Arts debut
Dec 7 Library of Congress celebrates Clara Schumann, the composer
Dec 6 Slatkin makes heartening NSO return with optimistic, eloquent Copland
Nov 25 WCO’s superlative casting lights a fire amid the gloom of Thomas’s “Hamlet”
Nov 25 December 18
Nov 22 Fleming a radiant O’Keeffe in “Brightness of Light” premiere
Nov 18 Carter Brey’s dazzling Haydn a clear highlight in Apollo Orchestra program
Nov 14 Goerke’s intimate Isolde contrasted with Gould’s sensational Tristan in NSO’s night of Wagner
Nov 8 Noseda, NSO hit the dance floor in a night of premieres
Nov 3 WNO serves up inspired singing and whimsy in colorful “Magic Flute”
Nov 2 MDLO’s young singers shine and rise in opera concert
Oct 31 A dark, stormy and rewarding Halloween night with Urbański, de la Salle and NSO
Oct 30 Thorvaldsdóttir premiere leads an atmospheric evening with Spektral Quartet
Oct 27 WNO’s “Otello” gets the job done despite staging distractions
Oct 22 November 27
Oct 19 A night of stirring Mahler lieder from Gerhaher and Huber
Oct 18 Composer Rouse writes his epitaph in final masterwork, unveiled in Cincinnati
Oct 16 A Takács Quartet in transition revisits its roots with Bartók
Oct 12 Christian Gerhaher to explore the world in Mahler’s songs
Oct 10 Janowski, NSO deliver a memorable night of Bruckner at Kennedy Center
Oct 7 Barton Pine and Vinikour team up for intimate Bach at National Gallery
Oct 3 Noseda, NSO go from the sacred to the profane with panache
Oct 3 Cage’s piano music embraces the world at Kennedy Center
Sep 29 Noseda, NSO open season with a jazzy, enlightening salute to Paris
Sep 28 Baltimore Symphony’s rousing season opener triumphs in fate-laden program
Sep 26 WNO needs to remove Domingo name, clear the air on his tenure
Sep 23 Baltimore Symphony musicians ratify contract; Midgette resigns from WaPO
Sep 23 Washington Bach Consort still finding its footing under Marsh
Sep 22 Christopher Rouse 1949-2019
Sep 22 With pomp and gratitude, a revived National Philharmonic opens with Beethoven
Sep 21 Agreement reached in Baltimore Symphony impasse
Sep 21 October 24
Sep 19 Reach falls short of grasping Kennedy Center issues
Sep 16 Surprises abound in Brenda Rae’s assured Vocal Arts debut
Sep 15 Maryland Lyric Opera leads off with double bill of blood-and-guts verismo
Sep 15 Apollo Orchestra opens season with haste and bracing variety
Sep 13 Baltimore Symphony cancels first concerts of fall season as lockout continues
Sep 8 Not your grandfather’s “Butterfly”—or Puccini’s— with In Series’ drastic revamp
Aug 19 Critic’s Choice for 2019-20
Aug 15 Shanghai Symphony brings admirable playing, musical diplomacy to Wolf Trap
Aug 14 September 21
Aug 12 Financial transparency and judicious cost-cutting could save Baltimore Symphony
Aug 10 Music takes center stage in Wolf Trap’s over-the-top “Barber of Seville”
Jul 31 Cash-strapped National Philharmonic lives to play another season
Jul 27 Subtle yet stirring, Noseda makes belated Wolf Trap debut with NSO
Jul 25 Wolf Trap’s “Ariadne” offers effervescent treat in the dog days of summer
Jul 17 National Philharmonic to shut down
Jun 25 August 22
Jun 23 Satiric worlds collide in Wolf Trap Opera’s upended double bill
Jun 19 Pereira shines in belated Mozart concerto premiere with NSO
Jun 17 Baltimore Symphony locks out musicians over stalled contract talks
Jun 16 Chantry marks Pentecost week with a thoughtful program
Jun 15 Stutzmann leads National Symphony in captivating Mozart feast
Jun 6 Fire and folk music spark final season program for Noseda, National Symphony
Jun 3 A dark and stormy finale to Apollo Orchestra season with Mozart’s Requiem
May 31 Noseda, National Symphony give glorious Casella rarity its DC premiere
May 19 Goerke lights up WNO gala with a night of memorable Wagner singing
May 19 Two premieres and a moving farewell for Becker from Cantate Chamber Singers
May 19 Young artists find their Verdi voices with Maryland Lyric Opera
May 18 June 26
May 17 Noseda celebrates Italy with Rossini and Dante in choral showcase
May 15 Davies and Dunford provide a season highlight with Orphic program for Vocal Arts DC
May 13 Arcangelo closes Shriver Hall season with elegant Baroque program
May 13 Latonia Moore makes blazing WNO debut in second-cast “Tosca”
May 12 WNO wraps season with a visually sumptuous, dramatically tepid “Tosca”
May 10 Subbing violinist makes thrilling DC debut with Gardner, National Symphony
May 7 From stuntman to opera singer, tenor Massi brings a range of skills to WNO’s “Tosca”
May 5 Barton wraps Kennedy Center’s vocal series in grand (and intimate) style
Apr 28 Lovely rarities served up with feeling by Inscape Chamber Orchestra
Apr 27 Wu Han leads a dazzling piano finale to close her first Wolf Trap season
Apr 26 Cho, Noseda and NSO prove simpatico partners in Ravel
Apr 24 Critic’s Choice
Apr 23 Feminist updating of Stradella’s “Susanna” lends contemporary resonance
Apr 22 May 18
Apr 19 Noseda leads National Symphony in a fresh and blazing Beethoven Fifth
Apr 16 Critic’s Choice
Apr 15 Washington National Cathedral opens Holy Week with contrasted requiems
Apr 14 East Coast Chamber Orchestra connects the hemispheres for Candlelight Concerts
Apr 13 Third conductor is the charm with Hersh rescuing NSO’s French program
Apr 12 Brownlee soars in Vocal Arts recital of Schumann and Sorey
Apr 9 Critic’s Choice
Apr 8 Calidore Quartet illuminates historic Viennese program at Wolf Trap
Apr 6 Brownlee’s sterling artistry strikes Rossini sparks in WCO’s “Zelmira”
Apr 4 Critic’s Choice
Apr 1 Trifecta of April events showcase the multifaceted Lawrence Brownlee
Mar 31 NSO forces soar in Auerbach’s awesome Arctic premiere
Mar 31 Cleobury makes a valedictory tour stop with Kings College Choir
Mar 30 Cellist Schwarz unearths fascinating rarities at Austrian Embassy
Mar 27 Critic’s Choice
Mar 25 Korngold rarity proves the highlight of Sitkovetsky Trio’s debut at Wolf Trap
Mar 24 A heroic sendoff for MTT with San Francisco Symphony’s memorable Beethoven
Mar 20 Critic’s Choice
Mar 20 April 22
Mar 17 Colorful staging lifts mixed vocalism in WNO’s “Faust”
Mar 15 Koopman returns to NSO bearing rare and rewarding Baroque gifts
Mar 13 Critic’s Choice
Mar 13 Takács Quartet offers exquisite Bartók at the Kennedy Center
Mar 11 Moser and Polonsky prove worthy partners in Shriver Hall recital
Mar 10 Anna Nechaeva makes a powerful U.S. debut in WNO’s “Eugene Onegin”
Mar 9 Montrose Trio’s Haydn proves a highlight at Wolf Trap
Mar 8 Cellist Kian Soltani brings individual touch to Haydn in dashing NSO debut
Mar 5 Critic’s Choice
Feb 28 Spiders, puppets and Mozart make fine company in Bringuier’s NSO debut
Feb 26 Critic’s Choice
Feb 25 Cantate Chamber Singers deliver delightful Handel with “Israel in Egypt”
Feb 24 Doric Quartet illuminates Haydn and Mendelssohn for Candlelight Society
Feb 24 Apollo Orchestra brings vocal Strauss and Tchaikovsky symphony to a new audience
Feb 23 Schubert in the spotlight with Wu Han and friends at Wolf Trap
Feb 20 Violinist Renaud Capuçon delivers a season highlight at Library of Congress
Feb 19 Critic’s Choice
Feb 17 March 20
Feb 15 NSO and Noseda celebrate unsafe love in Valentine’s Day concert
Feb 13 Critic’s Choice
Feb 10 Frank Martin rarity warms up a cold night at Wolf Trap
Feb 7 Angelich in Schumann and angelic Liszt from Noseda, NSO
Feb 7 Wolf Trap announces details of summer season
Feb 6 Opera Lafayette goes full Handel in style with “Radamisto”
Feb 5 Critic’s Choice
Feb 4 Kennedy Center plans ambitious 2019-2020 season: NSO tours, “Otello,” Porgy and Bess” and a bounty of Beethoven
Feb 2 St. Lawrence Quartet shines at refurbished Wolf Trap with Haydn and Mozart
Jan 31 Searing Shostakovich and brilliant Beethoven from Noseda, Trifonov, and NSO
Jan 29 Critic’s Choice
Jan 28 February 17
Jan 25 Critic’s Choice
Jan 24 PostClassical Ensemble concert floods National Cathedral in exotic sounds
Jan 21 Apollo Orchestra features promising young soloist in mixed program
Jan 19 Soprano Fleming adorns Schubert program with Noseda, NSO
Jan 16 Critic’s Choice
Jan 13 Delightful “Pepito” lets the dogs out at American Opera Initiative premieres
Jan 12 Sankaram’s “Taking up Serpents” shows original, intriguing voice in WNO premiere
Jan 12 String trios with David Finckel and friends open the year at Wolf Trap
Jan 11 Alsop, Baltimore Symphony overcome distractions to tackle epic Messiaen
Jan 8 Critic’s Choice
Jan 4 Two new musicians join NSO: Baltimore musicians still without a contract

2018

Dec 22 Top Ten Performances of 2018
Dec 21 Choir provides the highlights in McGegan’s abridged and speedy NSO “Messiah”
Dec 20 Vocal Arts DC presents an Angel Blue Christmas at the Kennedy Center
Dec 18 January 29
Dec 16 Cantate Chamber Singers present a non-mass version of Bach’s Mass in B minor
Dec 15 WNO revives underwhelming “Lion, Unicorn, and Me” for holiday season
Dec 10 Lithuanian musicians mark their country’s centenary in fine style at National Gallery
Dec 7 Bates premiere fires a dud but Noseda leads NSO in a thundering Mahler First
Dec 6 Ballet West brings its shiny new “Nutcracker” to the Kennedy Center
Dec 3 An electrifying DC debut by Kopatchinskaja, Leschenko at Phillips Collection
Dec 2 A dual hymn to the modern in quartet and dance concert at Freer|Sackler
Dec 1 Baritone Keenlyside makes a French connection in Washington debut
Nov 30 Noseda leads NSO forces in an intense and moving “War Requiem”
Nov 19 Kate Lindsey triumphs in belated U.S. debut of Gounod’s “Sapho” at Concert Opera
Nov 18 December 18
Nov 15 Prieto and Kozhukhin make dueling high-octane debuts with NSO
Nov 13 Brancy and Dugan close allies in Armistice program for Vocal Arts DC
Nov 11 WNO marks Armistice Day with Puts’ timely but musically slight “Silent Night”
Nov 8 Jenny Lin goes deep in bracing program of Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues
Nov 5 A delicious taste of French indulgence from Les Délices
Nov 2 Gaffigan, NSO and Trpčeski deliver a rousing Russian program
Oct 29 Opera Lafayette unearths Neapolitan rarity in amiable season opener
Oct 25 Soprano Park makes charismatic Washington debut with Vocal Arts DC
Oct 22 Slatkin, Cathedral Choral forces honor the Armistice with epic Russian rarity
Oct 19 Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques capital in Couperin celebration at Library of Congress
Oct 17 November 20
Oct 13 Violinist Lin brings a silver lining to uneven Apollo Orchestra concert
Oct 11 Chen provides the sparks in safety-first program from Eschenbach, NSO
Oct 8 Rising tenor Chang impresses in WNO’s second-cast “Traviata”
Oct 7 Virginia Opera brings out the affection, grit and relevance of Weill’s “Street Scene”
Oct 7 An exciting new “Traviata” opens WNO season on high note
Oct 4 Storgårds brings Silvestrov discovery, revelatory Tchaikovsky to NSO
Sep 29 Mezzo DeShong lights up Vocal Arts DC with rarely heard music
Sep 28 WNO names new principal conductor, extends Zambello contract
Sep 27 Noseda, NSO find new, vibrant hues in familiar canvasses
Sep 24 Political satire of UrbanArias’ “Last American Hammer” misses the mark
Sep 23 With his contract extended, Noseda, NSO achieve liftoff in heavenly gala opener
Sep 23 Fairfax Symphony leads off with a winning performance of Puccini’s “La Boheme”
Sep 17 Mulligan too operatic in Spears premiere, yet brings nuanced artistry to Argento for Vocal Arts DC
Sep 17 Soprano Broadbent brings “celestial sound” to Bach Consort opener
Sep 16 Horns stand out in Apollo Orchestra’s season opener
Sep 3 NSO celebrates American music of the serious kind at Labor Day concert
Aug 20 2018-19 Critic’s Choice
Aug 11 Capitol Hill Chamber Music Festival provides an oasis in DC’s August desert
Aug 4 A finely sung, imaginatively staged “Rigoletto” on a rainy night at Wolf Trap
Jul 29 A trio of great singers delivers power and passion in Wagner night at Wolf Trap Opera
Jul 17 Utah Arts Review to launch this fall
Jul 8 UrbanArias debuts a quirky tale of obsession in “Why is Eartha Kitt Trying to Kill Me?”
Jun 22 Alsop, BSO members mix it up with flair in New Music Festival
Jun 19 August 10
Jun 15 Eschenbach closes NSO season with German brass and Classical elegance
Jun 13 NSO oboist Stovall superb in a belated Mozart debut
Jun 10 Alsop and BSO prep for Proms with American-Russian program
Jun 9 Majestic Sibelius makes electrifying finish to Apollo Orchestra’s season
Jun 7 Eschenbach is back with NSO in sunny Mendelssohn and rare Verdi
Jun 1 Alsop, BSO prep for Euro tour with bracing Gershwin, Schumann
May 28 An ailing Kovacevich closes Phillips season with mixed results
May 24 June 19
May 20 Walker draws superb performances from Choral Arts Society to close season
May 17 Noseda closes his first NSO season with a Bach-centered evening
May 17 Kissin returns with ferocity in Beethoven, poetry in Rachmaninoff
May 10 Elder makes a strong impact with NSO in early 20th-century program
May 7 Mørk and Abduraimov make an exquisite team in Shriver Hall concert
May 6 A retooled “Candide” proves an enjoyable romp in belated WNO debut
May 6 Cantate Chamber Singers close season with a feast of German melody
May 3 Mark Elder brilliantly opens two-week residency with NSO
May 3 Opera Lafayette offers Versailles postcards in sound at Kennedy Center
May 2 Vocal Arts DC offers exciting 2018-2019 season
Apr 29 Washington National Opera opens zany “Barber of Seville”
Apr 28 Vocal Arts DC postpones tonight’s Brian Mulligan recital
Apr 28 Savall and Hespèrion XXI pray for Catalonia in exquisite concert
Apr 26 Gerald Finley and Julius Drake electrify Library of Congress series
Apr 23 Critic’s Choice
Apr 20 Noseda leads a vital NSO in music for light forces
Apr 18 Critic’s Choice
Apr 15 Noseda, NSO close SHIFT Festival with rarities, rendered with subtlety and finesse
Apr 14 Indianapolis Symphony fills Kennedy Center with apocalyptic sound
Apr 12 A striking addition to the tuba repertory shines amid the Albany Symphony’s sugared SHIFT program
Apr 10 Critic’s Choice
Apr 8 Beautiful music and baffling scenario in UrbanArias’ “Florida” premiere
Apr 6 An alternative American Songbook delivered by Upshaw and Sō Percussion
Apr 4 Critic’s Choice
Apr 2 Shriver Hall Concert Series announces 2018-19 season
Mar 28 Critic’s Choice
Mar 26 Singers shine best in uneven Apollo Orchestra concert
Mar 22 Noseda leads NSO in a Verdi Requiem of fire and fury
Mar 22 May 24
Mar 21 A rising young baritone stumbles in Vocal Arts recital
Mar 20 Critic’s Choice
Mar 15 An invitation to the dance(s) and a pianist’s debut with Noseda, NSO
Mar 14 Critic’s Choice
Mar 12 Pierre-Laurent Aimard explores lonely landscapes in Shriver Hall series
Mar 10 An uneven evening of Glass Etudes at the Kennedy Center
Mar 9 Adams’ sprawling “Gospel” proves a misfire for Noseda, NSO
Mar 7 Critic’s Choice
Mar 7 Nézet-Séguin, Philadelphia Orchestra deliver the power in Shostakovich minus the chill
Mar 5 Gay Men’s Chorus presents Duruflé’s Requiem in unique version for male chorus
Mar 4 Strong singing and conducting make for a gripping “Don Carlo” at Washington National Opera
Mar 1 Runnicles, NSO make an eloquent case for Mahler’s Tenth
Feb 28 Tenor Russell Thomas is breaking down operatic barriers with confidence
Feb 27 Critic’s Choice
Feb 25 Prégardien’s storytelling creates vivid journey in Vocal Arts recital
Feb 23 Janowski brings a unique perspective to familiar music with NSO
Feb 21 Tenor Prégardien to light a path through Schubert’s darkest lieder
Feb 20 March 22
Feb 20 Critic’s Choice
Feb 19 Sisters make blazing debuts in Washington Concert Opera’s “Maria di Rohan”
Feb 18 Virginia Opera creates practical magic with Britten’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Feb 16 Tan Dun, Shenzhen orchestra greet Chinese New Year with a flourish at Kennedy Center
Feb 14 Tharaud brings Gallic charm to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”
Feb 13 Critic’s Choice
Feb 9 Shostakovich fares best in Gabel’s mixed outing with NSO
Feb 9 Röschmann draws audience into exquisite gloom in Vocal Arts recital
Feb 8 Muti, Chicago Symphony warm up a chilly night at the Kennedy Center
Feb 7 Critic’s Choice
Feb 1 A Russian night of magic and fantasy from Lintu, NSO
Feb 1 Critic’s Choice
Jan 31 Opera Lafayette’s double-bill delivers a striking cross-cultural success
Jan 30 Noseda to bring an Italian flavor to second season with NSO
Jan 29 Violinist Stefan Jackiw strives to bring out the grit and nostalgia of Charles Ives
Jan 26 Back to the future with Eschenbach, NSO and Josefowicz
Jan 25 Calidore Quartet makes a subtly nuanced Kennedy Center debut
Jan 23 February 21
Jan 23 Critic’s Choice
Jan 22 WNO’s new operas offer mixed takes on the American experience
Jan 20 Missy Mazzoli deconstructs the American Dream in bracing WNO premiere
Jan 17 Composer Missy Mazzoli is breaking the glass opera ceiling
Jan 16 Critic’s Choice
Jan 15 French music, Glass and hip-hop Saint-Saëns make for a long afternoon with BSO
Jan 13 Europa Galante brings Vivaldi and friends to life at Library of Congress
Jan 11 Tchaikovsky fares best in conductor Sado’s U.S. debut with NSO
Jan 10 Irish (and other) hearts are happy at Tara Erraught’s Vocal Arts recital
Jan 9 Critic’s Choice
Jan 7 BSO and Labadie heat up a cold night with revelatory Mozart

2017

Dec 21 Top Ten Performances of 2017
Dec 19 Dover Quartet celebrates Stradivari anniversary at Library of Congress
Dec 18 Cathedra, Arcadia Viols join forces for early Christmas music at the Folger Library
Dec 15 Superb cast makes WNO’s “Little Prince” a spirited and touching holiday treat
Dec 15 Sorrell leads NSO in a vital and theatrical “Messiah”
Dec 10 Conductor Marsh makes admirable showing with Washington Bach Consort
Dec 6 Russian songs fare best in Bondarenko’s recital for Vocal Arts
Dec 4 New Rouse work proves mesmerizing in the hands of Alsop, Baltimore Symphony
Nov 30 Wang and Noseda strike sparks in high-voltage NSO program
Nov 21 December 30
Nov 20 Washington Concert Opera revives a rewarding Bellini rarity with “La straniera”
Nov 19 Theofanidis premiere, bracing Rachmaninoff highlight Spano’s Baltimore Symphony concert
Nov 19 Choral Arts Society goes big with Monteverdi “Vespers”
Nov 18 Annapolis Symphony continues to spread its wings with new repertoire
Nov 17 Noseda offers “tasting menu” of orchestral showpieces with NSO
Nov 14 The Crossing presents timely and challenging new music for voices
Nov 9 Noseda lights a fire in first subscription concert with National Symphony
Nov 9 Bell opens new Washington Chorus era with white-knuckle Walton
Nov 7 Back to the Future: Leila Josefowicz finds fresh treasure in arrangements and rarities
Nov 6 Vocal Arts DC opens season with a feast of Bernstein rarities
Nov 5 Washington National Opera goes for Baroque with a radiant “Alcina”
Nov 5 Pianist Liu offers a thoughtful program of American music with a lost work rediscovered
Nov 4 Elizabeth Bishop lifts Apollo Orchestra program of Mozart and Mahler
Nov 3 Slatkin returns to NSO with rare Bernstein and inexorable Stravinsky
Oct 25 Superb guest artists spark Opera Lafayette’s Monteverdi program
Oct 25 November 22
Oct 22 Fairfax Symphony brings passion to Russian program
Oct 19 Ensemble Signal celebrates Steve Reich at Library of Congress
Oct 15 UrbanArias tells a real-life American horror story with Hagen’s stirring “Shining Brow”
Oct 15 Cantate Chamber Singers bring radiant advocacy to meditative program
Oct 13 Renovated Terrace Theater makes mixed sonic impression with chamber music
Oct 9 Stenz leads transcendent Gaelic-themed program with BSO
Oct 6 Stutzmann returns to NSO with a romantic program
Sep 29 NSO revives rare Copland symphony in American program
Sep 26 October 25
Sep 25 NSO celebrates Noseda and Bernstein in rousing gala at the Kennedy Center
Sep 25 Soprano provides compelling advocacy for Holocaust-themed “Letters from Ruth”
Sep 24 Alsop gets (late) Romantic in Baltimore Symphony program
Sep 24 Folger Consort cultivates a winsome “English Garden” in season opener
Sep 23 Noseda to strive for quality and consistency with National Symphony
Sep 22 Timothy O’Leary named new general director of WNO
Sep 21 Sistine Chapel Choir makes a rare and refined appearance at National Shrine
Sep 18 Frenetic direction makes for mixed rewards with Washington Bach Consort
Sep 15 Dynamic Adams and Tchaikovsky open Alsop’s tenth season with Baltimore Symphony
Sep 11 Second cast delivers the Verdian goods in WNO “Aida”
Sep 10 Fine singing vies with baffling production in WNO’s militaristic “Aida”
Aug 22 Critic’s Choice for the 2017-18 Season
Aug 15 September 27
Aug 12 Horror and comedy make for a mixed closing bill at Wolf Trap Opera
Jul 29 Vocal soloists seduce in NSO’s “Carmina Burana” at Wolf Trap
Jul 15 Wolf Trap Opera serves up searing summer verismo with Puccini’s “Tosca”
Jul 14 Falletta to replace Noseda for NSO date at Wolf Trap
Jun 30 Noseda pulls out of July NSO concerts to recover from back surgery
Jun 26 Rarely heard Rossini comedy proves a delightful discovery at Wolf Trap
Jun 22 Philippe Auguin’s departure a troubling portent for WNO
Jun 18 Wolf Trap Opera offers a Terpsichorean, goth take on Glass’s “Fall of the House of Usher”
Jun 15 Eschenbach at his vivid, captivating best in NSO farewell
Jun 8 Alice Sara Ott brings singular Tchaikovsky style to NSO
Jun 5 National Symphony Orchestra hires a new executive director
Jun 3 König and Gluzman in fine form with Baltimore Symphony’s Parisian program
Jun 2 Nearing the finish line, Eschenbach leads NSO in a raucous, uneven Mahler Second
Jun 1 Soprano Sherezade Panthaki radiant in Opera Lafayette’s Rameau
May 30 Spivakov, Moscow Virtuosi mark nearly 40 years of a successful partnership
May 25 National Symphony salutes American optimism for JFK Centenary
May 24 August 16
May 19 Koopman goes for Baroque with National Symphony Orchestra
May 17 Pollini struggles yet shines in Chopin recital at Kennedy Center
May 13 U.S. Air Force Band takes flight with a Messiaen spectacular
May 12 Paul Jacobs delivers a tour de force in NSO premiere of Rouse Organ Concerto
May 11 Bell takes over Washington Chorus; NSO goes crossover with Ben Folds appointment
May 9 Critic’s Choice
May 7 Washington National Opera’s “Butterfly” fails to take wing
May 4 Polish and Czech songs shine in Piotr Beczała recital for Vocal Arts DC
May 2 WNO chief to exit in July
May 2 Riotous Stravinsky from Andsnes and Hamelin in duo recital
May 1 Quatuor Danel ignites a fire with Weinberg and Shostakovich
Apr 30 Religious works highlight Alsop’s Baltimore Symphony program
Apr 26 Critic’s Choice
Apr 26 Bronfman turns inward for mostly understated program
Apr 24 Susan Graham ponders a woman’s life with strength and charm at Shriver Hall
Apr 24 Washington Choral Arts delivers a powerful Mozart Requiem
Apr 23 Khachatryan delivers deep and individual Beethoven with NSO
Apr 21 Anne Schwanewilms brings elegant intensity to vocal recital
Apr 18 Critic’s Choice
Apr 12 Critic’s Choice
Apr 8 UrbanArias’ “Lucy” presents an intriguing, disturbing new opera
Apr 7 A pianist’s sensational debut and a somber symphonic tribute from Conlon, NSO
Apr 4 Critic’s Choice
Apr 1 Composer Theofanidis unconvincing as theologian in Atlanta Symphony’s “Creation/Creator”
Mar 28 Critic’s Choice
Mar 25 Arditti Quartet still living on the modernist edge at Library of Congress
Mar 21 Critic’s Choice
Mar 17 Concertmaster Bar-Josef offers engaging Mozart with Eschenbach, NSO
Mar 14 Critic’s Choice
Mar 13 Washington Bach Consort begins a new era with “St. Matthew Passion”
Mar 12 Lisette Oropesa shines brightest in opera with Vocal Arts DC
Mar 10 Eschenbach, NSO prepare a rough draft for Russian tour
Mar 8 Critic’s Choice
Mar 8 András Schiff offers dreamy and intimate Schubert at Strathmore
Mar 6 WCO cast shines brightly in Beethoven’s fascinating “Leonore”
Mar 5 WNO’s musically lightweight “Champion,” more theater than opera
Mar 4 A moving meditation and supreme Brahms from Alsop, BSO
Mar 3 Wigglesworth a fine NSO sub, leading a gracious Brahms Second
Feb 28 Critic’s Choice
Feb 28 Lugansky lights up St. Petersburg Philharmonic program
Feb 27 Biss, Brentano Quartet explore composers’ late works at Shriver Hall
Feb 26 WNO gives a worthy DC premiere of Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking”
Feb 22 Sandrine Piau returns to Washington with more French songs
Feb 21 Critic’s Choice
Feb 20 Opera Lafayette unearths a compelling discovery with Gaveaux’s “Léonore”
Feb 19 Either/Or offers a mixed night of modern works at Library of Congress
Feb 18 Meister, NSO explore fairy tales, light and dark
Feb 16 Critic’s Choice
Feb 14 Despite arid acoustic, Venice Baroque Orchestra brings vibrancy to concertos
Feb 11 Joshua Bell opens Kennedy Center residency with a tribute to JFK
Feb 8 Critic’s Choice
Feb 7 Beijing Symphony offers a diverting mix at Kennedy Center
Feb 6 Virginia Opera hits the target with a winning “Freischütz”
Feb 5 Jordi Savall and friends explore the richly varied music of Venice
Feb 3 Mulcahy, NSO provide inspired advocacy for Rouse’s compelling concerto
Feb 1 Critic’s Choice
Jan 30 Jean-Guihen Queyras reveals the range of Bach’s cello suites
Jan 29 March calendar to come
Jan 27 Eschenbach, Kremer and NSO deliver powerful Weinberg and Shostakovich
Jan 26 Critic’s Choice
Jan 25 Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra offer a Russian-French tableau
Jan 24 Pacifica Quartet and Jörg Widmann on the hunt at Library of Congress
Jan 23 Noseda takes the reins at NSO; “Alcina,” “Don Carlo” and “Candide” on tap at WNO in Kennedy Center’s 2017-18 season
Jan 23 Isabelle Faust brings lean vitality to Bach at the Phillips Collection
Jan 21 Ailyn Pérez makes a triumphant return to Wolf Trap
Jan 20 Noseda’s inaugural American program with NSO proves a mixed bag
Jan 17 Critic’s Choice
Jan 16 Lise de la Salle tells keyboard love stories at Phillips
Jan 14 With unfunny libretto and barren score, new Fairouz opera takes the fun out of tyranny
Jan 13 Elder, NSO explore Stravinsky roots with iridescent performances
Jan 11 Critic’s Choice
Jan 10 The Dover Quartet shines brightly in Mozart and Smetana
Jan 8 Slobodeniouk returns to BSO with dark-hued Russian program
Jan 7 Orlando and Folger Consorts make beautiful medieval music together

2016

Dec 20 Top Ten Performances of 2016
Dec 18 Cecilia Quartet marks the Stradivari anniversary at Library of Congress
Dec 16 Cummings, NSO serve up a fresh take on Handel’s “Messiah”
Dec 15 Musicians from Marlboro unearth choice rarities
Dec 12 Emerson Quartet brings warmth and expressive weight to Beethoven, Grieg and Shostakovich
Dec 11 18th Street Singers serve up heartening evening of early music
Dec 7 Gerhaher explores death in transfiguring Vocal Arts recital
Dec 5 Grimaud explores watery musical depths at Shriver Hall
Dec 3 Folger Consort revisits “Shepherds’ Play” with charming and magical results
Nov 30 Bychkov, Concertgebouw move from darkness to light with Glanert and Mahler
Nov 21 Choral Arts Society makes a glorious sound in Berlioz Requiem
Nov 21 Soprano Dana Beth Miller makes a searing debut in Concert Opera’s “Hérodiade”
Nov 18 Urbański leads NSO in Polish rarity and breathless Dvořák
Nov 16 Ben Bliss brings colorful voice and natural artistry to recital for Vocal Arts DC
Nov 14 Seraphic Fire offers a program of remembrance in Georgetown
Nov 13 Oropesa, Brownlee lead the charge in WNO’s delightful “Daughter of the Regiment”
Nov 12 Runnicles returns to NSO with gorgeous French program
Nov 11 Powerful playing and uneven conducting in Alsop’s Mahler 6
Nov 10 Takács Quartet brings customary depth to Beethoven program
Nov 7 Seraphic Fire’s requiem program will also mark a personal tribute
Nov 4 Noseda, NSO bring out the steel and serenity of Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Nov 4 Cabell’s haunting Ravel provides the highlight in Baltimore Symphony program
Oct 29 Hahn and Levin strike sparks from Bach to Türk
Oct 28 Eschenbach, NSO present a contrasted program of Marsalis, Tchaikovsky
Oct 22 Lintu returns to lead Baltimore Symphony in Rautavaara, Beethoven, and Dvořák
Oct 18 Mark Padmore displays sublime artistry at Library of Congress
Oct 17 Alisa Weilerstein brings a bounty of Bach
Oct 15 Petrenko leads Baltimore Symphony in incendiary Shostakovich
Oct 7 Valčuha shows a deft touch with NSO
Oct 6 Brentano Quartet and DiDonato team up in Strauss and Heggie
Oct 2 Derek Jacobi and Folger Consort team up for evening of Shakespeare and Purcell
Sep 30 Alsop, BSO have uneven night with Orff and Stravinsky
Sep 30 NSO opens season with Shakespeare in words and music
Sep 26 NSO gala raises $1 million and fetes opening of African-American Museum
Sep 23 WNO opens season with a visually attractive, vocally bland “Figaro”
Sep 19 Washington Concert Opera marks 30 years with a bel canto feast
Sep 18 Baltimore Symphony opens centennial season in rousing style with pie and Perlman
Sep 13 Critic’s Choice for 2016-17 season
Sep 12 Welcome to Washington Classical Review
Sep 10 Janai Brugger’s artistry is on the rise at Kennedy Center
Sep 9 Three new musicians to join NSO this season

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