Category Archives: Theology

THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY AND CHORUS’ MESSIAH RAISES THE ROOF

Maestra JoAnn Falletta led a rousingly spirited rendition of Handel’s magnificent oratorio The Messiah last evening. Keeping the spirit-filled symphony and chorus moving for over two hours, Ms. Falletta gave the orchestra’s string section an opportunity to shine, and shine they did. Their playing did not only sound wonderful, their playing was a lovely visual […]

December 16, 2018 – 7:34 am | By Paul Kuritz | Posted in Art, Current Events, from Paul, History, Music, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology | Comments (0)

VIRGINIA OPERA’S DON GIOVANNI: FABULOUS FUN

After surveying the centuries of Don Juan incarnations, David Bentley Hart concludes that the character is simply now “beyond our ken”[i] While that may be true in the world of philosophy, in the nuts and bolts world of theater “ken”, or understanding, is what is demanded by performers and audience alike. So rather than pick […]

November 3, 2018 – 11:10 am | By Paul Kuritz | Posted in Acting, from Paul, History, Men and Women, Music, Opera, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theater, Theology | Comments (0)

THE MET’S LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST- AMERICA’S OPERA WORLD PREMIERE

Heidi Waleson’s new history of the New York City Opera Mad Scenes and Exit Arias makes clear that the Metropolitan Opera was no friend to its Lincoln Center neighbor. The occasion of the Met’s production of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West should remind us that the Met has never welcomed any rival to its place […]

October 28, 2018 – 1:32 pm | By Paul Kuritz | Posted in Acting, from Paul, History, Men and Women, Music, Opera, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theater, Theology | Comments (0)

THE MET”S SAMSON AND DALILA: THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMISTICE

One hundred years ago, on November 2, 1918, the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a Jubilee Victory Celebration of the end of World War One during a performance of Saint-Saens’ Samson and Dalila. Enrico Caruso, a fervent champion of the allied cause, had been  barnstorming the country with Al Jolson, George M Cohan,  and […]

October 21, 2018 – 4:08 pm | By Paul Kuritz | Posted in Acting, Current Events, Dance, from Paul, History, Men and Women, Music, Opera, Quotations, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theater, Theology | Comments (0)

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY – A THIN PLACE FOLK OPERA

Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan asked Conor McPherson, the world’s greatest English-language playwright, if he would be interested in using his songs in a theater piece. The result is the magnificent folk-opera Girl from the North Country. Critics of the work ignore the key to understanding the work’s deep center: Conor McPherson was most interested […]

October 14, 2018 – 11:23 am | By Paul Kuritz | Posted in Acting, Books, Dance, from Paul, History, Music, Opera, Poetry, Quotations, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theater, Theology | Comments (0)