Many years ago in Cambridge, I had the pleasure of meeting the esteemed former New York Times dance critic Anna Kisselgoff. The lecture she’d delivered that night at Harvard was so inspiring that I decided I was going to become a critic as well. In a hopelessly naïve gesture, I went up to her after the talk and asked if she could explain my next move. “Well,†she said … [Read more...] about A Town Without Critics
Three Symphonies for the Price of One
Here in Houston, it isn’t just the bronze commemorative star in front of Jones Hall that honors the legendary German conductor Christoph Eschenbach. Loyal fans in the city honor him with their presence and rapt attention. The orchestra members honor him with their finest performances. For music-loving Texans, he is a hero in the truest sense, and we live in a time where … [Read more...] about Three Symphonies for the Price of One
There is nothing outside the dance
After more than three decades of observing that holiday über-warhorse, The Nutcracker, one would think my exhaustion had reached its limits. Seven of those years were spent dancing in various permutations of the ballet, 12 more were spent writing reviews and labored newspaper features about it. In recent years, my essays have focused primarily on the nature of that exhaustion, … [Read more...] about There is nothing outside the dance
Sopranos Yearning for Zion, in New York
As I watched Nico Muhly’s new opera Dark Sisters last weekend in New York, at the same time his Quiet Music for solo piano was being performed in Houston by Aperio’s Michael Zuraw. I would have loved to attend both performances. Muhly’s work figures prominently right now on my MP3 player, and it’s been a while since I’ve been so taken with the work of a young composer … [Read more...] about Sopranos Yearning for Zion, in New York
Color My World With Hopes
Contemporary dance prevails this autumn in Houston, with two events in particular focusing on themes of color, literal and figurative. They are major works that suggest a new, prosperous and invigorating period in this city’s dance scene. The premiere of choreographer Karen Stokes and composer  Bill Ryan’s The Secondary Colors in Houston (see my preview story in Houston … [Read more...] about Color My World With Hopes