Friends — hello!
I have lots to share with you from this month — reflections from stage and audience, chronicles of deep album rabbit-holes, bits of emotion both expected and not, a few delicious bites — but I’m stuck in the end-of-season whirlwind that inevitably comes around this time every year.
Currently, I’m gearing up for my first solo gig since November, fumbling through the Hebrew libretto of a 1770s Esther oratorio that Austrian composer Cristiano Lidarti wrote for the Sephardic community of Amsterdam. (I speak zero Hebrew, and when you can’t tell a noun from a verb, recitative is really hard…) And of course, it’s busy season at ye olde day job — as you might well know, early May is an important time at The Met.
My friend Tommy Dunford was in town this month, and last weekend, he graciously let me sit in on a rehearsal of his Jupiter ensemble’s Handel program. It’s so easy to rush some of those fast, virtuosic arias, and one particular run-through — of a number from the Occasional Oratorio, I think, or maybe Semele — threatened to tumble out of control. When he stopped the ensemble, Tommy reminded the group of their duty to the music’s groove: With great energy comes great responsibility.
I found that mantra oddly resonant, and at this moment, my energy is severely limited and my responsibilities must lie elsewhere — with work, and work, and the occasional, sanity-preserving friend dinner.
So, friends, let’s call this an IOU. If you’re hankering for my thoughts in the meantime, take a read through the article I wrote for this spring’s Chamber Music mag — I’m tremendously proud of it (cover story!), even if it runs slightly afoul of NYC’s old-guard early music mafia. More accounts of my (mis)adventures to come as soon as this sprint is over, and once I’ve recharged with a quick trip home for a dear friend’s wedding. (Los Angeles friends, I’m coming to town next week! If you want a spot on my dance card, now’s the time to schedule. 🙂)
Friends, the classical music scene is buzzing — go see a concert this month! If it’s one, listed here, great. If not, even better. Tell me what I’m missing as I run myself ragged!
In the immortal words of Bella Thorne: TTYL, xox 💋
What’s On
Alkemie: Sir Orfeo
Fri May 2 | All Saints Episcopal Church
Sat May 3 | Jalopy Theater (Brooklyn)
Sun May 4 (daytime May Day event) | The Peristyle, Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Bang on a Can: Long Play Festival (SOME FREE)
Fri May 2-Sun May 4 (all day) | Various locations (Downtown Brooklyn)
Met Opera: Salome
Fri May 2, Tue May 6,
Sat May 10 (matinee), Tue May 13,
Sat May 17 (matinee), Wed May 21,
Sat May 24 | Metropolitan Opera House
Juilliard415 with Lionel Meunier, conductor
Sat May 3 | Alice Tully Hall
Bargemusic: Mozart String Quintets (FREE)
Sat May 3 & Sun May 4 (two matinees each day) | Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse
(Brooklyn)
The English Concert: Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto
Sun May 4 (matinee) | Carnegie Hall (Stern/Perelman)
Music Middays: Daniel McGrew, tenor & Sophia Zhou, piano
Tue May 6 (noon) | Advent Lutheran Church
Miller Theatre Pop-Ups: JACK Quartet (FREE)
Tue May 6 (early evening) | Miller Theatre
SydeBOOB Duo & LIGAMENT
Tue May 6 | Scholes Street Studio (Brooklyn)
Crypt Sessions: Jonathan Biss — Schubert Final Sonatas & New Commissions
Wed-Fri May 7-9 | Church of the Intercession
Parker Ramsay, harp
Fri May 9 | 92nd Street Y
The Sebastians: All Strings, No Bach
Sat May 10 (early evening) | Brick Presbyterian Chuch
Bargemusic: Music Our Mothers Love (FREE)
Sun May 11 (two matinees) | Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse
Met Opera: Antony and Cleopatra (John Adams)
Mon May 12, Thu May 15,
Tue May 20, Sat May 24 (matinee),
Fri May 30 (into June) | Metropolitan Opera House
Heartbeat Opera: Faust
Tue May 13, Thu May 15,
Sat May 17, Sun May 18 (matinee),
Tue May 20, Wed May 21,
Fri May 23, Sun May 25 (matinee gala) | Baruch Performing Arts Center
The Stone Residencies: Ned Rothenberg
Wed-Sat May 14-17 | The Stone at The New School
The Rhythm Method: Resistance Strategies (FREE)
Thu May 16 | Americas Society
NY Phil: Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry Sing Kevin Puts
(I swear I’m in it for Daphnis and Chloé…)
Fri May 16-Sun May 18 (Sun matinee) | David Geffen Hall
Repast Baroque: Rosalia — Festival of Roses
Fri May 16 | Columbarium at Fresh Pond (Queens)
Sat May 17 (matinee) | First Congregational Unitarian Society (Brooklyn)
Sun May 18 (matinee) | Manhattan Country School
The Sound Between: Path of Miracles
Sat May 17 | National Dance Institute
Awadagin Pratt, piano
Sun May 18 (matinee) | 92nd Street Y
Music Before 1800: Juilliard415 — Corelli in Chiquitos
Sun May 18 (matinee) | Corpus Christi Church
Miller Theatre Pop-Ups: Parker Ramsay & Arnie Tanimoto
Mon May 19 | Miller Theatre
MATA Presents: Azalea Twining | Anna Heflin
Tue May 20 | Church of the Advent Hope
Cécile McLorin Salvant: Ogresse
Wed May 21 | Carnegie Hall (Zankel)
Yarn/Wire: Currents 2025
Wed May 21 | Roulette Intermedium
Opera Essentia: The Queen’s Heart
Fri May 23 & Sat May 24 (both early eve) | Green Oasis Community Garden
Fri May 30 (early eve) | Marcus Garvey Park
Sun Jun 1 (matinee) | Brooklyn Public Library
Bargemusic: Piano Quartets (FREE)
Sun May 25 (two matinees) | Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse (Brooklyn)
Ekmeles: moveable frames
Sun May 25 (matinee) | DiMenna Center
Death of Classical: Simone Porter — ad tendo
Thu May 29 | Church of the Intercession
NY Phil: Dudamel Leads Mahler 7
Thu May 29, Fri May 30 (morning)
Sat May 31, Sun Jun 1 (matinee) | David Geffen Hall
Lea Desandre!! Those divisions <3 <3 <3