Distinguished opera composer Dominick Argento once said to me, “The characters in The Marriage of Figaro are so rich, in both text and music, that I know them better than I know my own family.” There are plenty of reasons to see the new production of Mozart’s opera (sung in English) at Skylight Opera Theatre. Bill Theisen’s direction keeps the characters clear and the complex story moving forward...

Out of necessity and limited resources true creation can emerge. Witness the case of a young Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) who had but two violinists, a violist and cellist at hand to fulfill the desire of a royal patron for new music. Haydn essentially became the founder of the string quartet—one of the fundamental genres of Classical Music...

As a creative artist, Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was perhaps the most accomplished of the late-19th-century Russian nationalist composers; his remarkable gifts were evident in nearly every work he wrote. Alas, there aren’t very many, for composing was always merely his part-time job. Indeed, it often took years for works to be finished...

The effect of location on a composer’s works cannot often be overstated. Witness the output of late-Renaissance composer Giovanni Gabrieli (1553-1612), who succeeded his uncle (and fellow composer) Andrea Gabrieli as music director of Venice’s St. Mark Cathedral in 1586. Therein, he purposely...

The dark, cold winter has always been a good time for listening to substantial music, such as the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concert heard last Saturday night. Johannes Moser...

The works on the upcoming Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concert all stem from the tumultuous 20th century, descending back in time as the program progresses. In 1991, Scottish composer James MacMillan (b. 1959) composed his...

I think choreographer Catey Ott, a student of yoga, wants to honor that practice for its power to center, calm, strengthen, renew and summon the courage to go on. The full title of the program presented by her Catey Ott Dance Collective at Danceworks Studio Theatre last weekend, Total Emersion = Emotion Emission Immersion...

Combining aerialists, jugglers and acrobats with classical music played by an orchestra is the most exciting idea to hit the symphonic pops circuit in some time. Cirque de la Symphonie played three concerts with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra last weekend to large and diverse audiences. The best thing about the Saturday evening performance was...

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presented a run of five performances of Messiah last week at three locations. I caught the Saturday evening performance at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, our city’s traditional, grand and elegant space. The cathedral is also Milwaukee’s most acoustically satisfying among its large churches...

The Milwaukee Ballet’s Nutcracker creates a child’s world without condescension. It charms like a happy youngster running up to you with open arms. Michael Pink’s choreography is also intellectually satisfying in that careful attention is paid to narrative logic...