Union Avenue Opera’s One-Act Fest Finds Big Truths in Small Forms

Union Avenue Opera’s One-Act Fest Finds Big Truths in Small Forms

By CB Adams Union Avenue Opera’s inaugural One-Act Festival is intimate in scale and ambitious in reach, a chamber-sized gesture that embraces the big questions... Details
PopLifeSTL Picks Weekly: Sept. 1 – 7

PopLifeSTL Picks Weekly: Sept. 1 – 7

Dateline: Sept. 1By Lynn Venhaus, Alex McPherson, C.B. Adams and Carl “The Intern” Middleman Are we ready to cross into the spooky season? And no,... Details
Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Salome’ Delivers Power and Uneven Spectacle

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Salome’ Delivers Power and Uneven Spectacle

By CB AdamsIt is a rare pleasure to encounter "Salome," Richard Strauss’s 1905 masterpiece (after Oscar Wilde’s scandalous play), on a St. Louis stage. Union... Details
Stray Dog Theatre Triumphs With Poised, Polished Copland Opera ‘The Second Hurricane’

Stray Dog Theatre Triumphs With Poised, Polished Copland Opera ‘The Second Hurricane’

By Lynn Venhaus A refreshing breeze is blowing through the cozy confines of the Tower Grove Abbey in Stray Dog Theatre’s ambitious youth opera, “The... Details
A Classic Reimagined: Union Avenue Opera’s Vocally Rich ‘My Fair Lady’

A Classic Reimagined: Union Avenue Opera’s Vocally Rich ‘My Fair Lady’

By CB Adams Once considered the sacred domain of soaring arias and tragic finales, the modern opera house has become an increasingly hospitable venue for... Details
Opera Theatre of St Louis’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream Is an Enchanted Forest of Voice, Vision and Theatrical Alchemy

Opera Theatre of St Louis’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream Is an Enchanted Forest of Voice, Vision and Theatrical Alchemy

By CB Adams In Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ shimmering new production of Benjamin Britten’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," the familiar Shakespearean tale is reborn... Details
The Art of Reinvention: ‘Don Pasquale’ Returns to OTSL with Wit and Warmth

The Art of Reinvention: ‘Don Pasquale’ Returns to OTSL with Wit and Warmth

By CB Adams Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has always balanced reverence for tradition with a bold embrace of innovation, and its 50th anniversary season... Details
Opera Theatre’s Premiere of “This House” Delivers Haunting Beauty but Falters Under Narrative Sprawl

Opera Theatre’s Premiere of “This House” Delivers Haunting Beauty but Falters Under Narrative Sprawl

By CB Adams Set in Harlem’s iconic Sugar Hill—once home to luminaries like W.E.B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall and Duke Ellington—"This House,” the new, commissioned... Details
Scene-Stealers in Satin: OTSL’s “Die Fledermaus” Pops a Cork in 1960s Manhattan – And To Its 50th Season

Scene-Stealers in Satin: OTSL’s “Die Fledermaus” Pops a Cork in 1960s Manhattan – And To Its 50th Season

By CB Adams “Die Fledermaus” is a sparkling comedy of mistaken identities, romantic mischief and champagne-fueled revenge. In Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s new production,... Details
Winter Opera’s ‘Magic Flute’ Delivers Elegance, Humor and Timeless Charm

Winter Opera’s ‘Magic Flute’ Delivers Elegance, Humor and Timeless Charm

By CB Adams Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” balances fairy-tale whimsy with deeper allegory, and Winter Opera’s production embraces that duality with refreshing sincerity. Without gimmicks, forced interpretations... Details