Boston Symphony Orchestra

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Vive la France

French music is tricky. It has an unmistakable accent, inflection, scent.
French music at the BSO; French opera at Boston Conservatory; plus, Peter Wispelwey, Judith Gordon, Russell Sherman and Frank Kelley, and Collage New Music
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | February 10, 2012

Helios Early Opera's Charpentier; plus, the BSO's Mendelssohn Lobgesang

There's a new group in town doing Baroque opera — not an easy ambition.
Hello, Helios!
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | February 03, 2012

Some good musical news in troubled musical times

What a turbulent time we've been having in Boston's musical life.
Pain and pleasure
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | January 27, 2012

Shuffling conductors at the BSO, and 10 concerts you should see

There's lots of music to look forward to as we approach the end of winter.
Musical chairs
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | December 30, 2011

Ludovic Morlot's second week with the BSO; plus, Boston Early Music Festival's Charpentier

In his second week with the BSO, Ludovic Morlot led another stunning program originally designed for James Levine.
Hi-Def
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | December 02, 2011

Ludovic Morlot at the BSO; Philippe Jaroussky with Apollo's Fire

Former BSO assistant conductor Ludovic Morlot has returned for two programs planned by and for former music director James Levine.
Morlot's fire
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | November 25, 2011

Review: George Li, plus Gidon Kremer and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos with the BSO

Sixteen-year-old Boston pianist George Li is prodigious in more than one way. He's not merely a technical wizard, but a thoughtful and serious musician.
Lightness of being
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | November 04, 2011

Anne-Sophie Mutter, Susan Davenny Wyner, and Courtney Lewis

The season-opening concerts I've been going to have made me think about two kinds of musicians: those whose performances become transparent, who allow the listener into the heart of the music; and those for whom their own abilities — technical marvels —
Popularity contest
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | October 07, 2011

The BSO opens its summer home without Levine, but with Mark Morris & Yo-Yo Ma

It was especially sad that Levine, who cancelled his entire Tanglewood season and then resigned as BSO music director as of September (he just underwent another major surgery on his spine), couldn't lead this particular program.
Tanglewood report
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | July 15, 2011

Adès, Tetzlaff, and Kissin at the BSO; Matthew Polenzani's Schubert

After too many weeks of watching the Boston Symphony Orchestra scramble to replace maestro James Levine, both in Boston and on tour, we finally got a concert that went as planned.
Tempestuous
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | April 08, 2011

Following Levine's departure, the BSO picks up the pieces

This past week, James Levine ended his BSO tenure after seven seasons, citing challenges regarding his health and the "ensuing absences they have forced." Since leaving Symphony Hall almost five years ago, I've been watching the Levine saga unfold, gritt
After Jimmy
By SEAN KERRIGAN | March 05, 2011

Following Levine's departure, the BSO picks up the pieces

Levine resigns

I’m heartbroken. I’ve just heard that James Levine, after another serious setback to his health, has resigned as the BSO’s music director, a year before his contract was scheduled to expire.
Poor health forces the BSO’s first American director to give up his position
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | March 04, 2011

Opera Boston’s Cardillac, plus another Levine cancellation, H&H’s Handel, the Takács Quartet, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky

One of the major musical events of the season, Opera Boston’s New England premiere of Paul Hindemith’s Cardillac, was upstaged by the depressing announcement by BSO managing director Mark Volpe, just before the first of the BSO’s four performances of Mah
Heavy metal
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | March 04, 2011

UPDATED: James Levine steps down as music director of Boston Symphony Orchestra

The Phoenix has learned that James Levine will step down as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra tonight.UPDATED: 3:32 PM: The BSO has issued...
By Sean Kerrigan | March 02, 2011

Opera from BLO, the Met, and Teatro Lirico, plus top-level conducting at the BSO

Opera in Boston is now back in full swing. Boston Lyric Opera, with a company of singers and designers largely new to Boston led by Boston Classical Orchestra music director Steven Lipsitt, gave a memorable production of the opera that composer Viktor Ul
Good works
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | February 18, 2011

Review: Lorin Maazel with the BSO

Lorin Maazel made his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut in 1960, but this busy conductor has returned rarely, once in 1973 and again in 2009 as a substitute for the ailing James Levine in Beethoven's last four symphonies.
Plus, music and images at BCMS, Jeremy Denk, and BSCP's Stravinsky
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | January 28, 2011

Oedipus schmoedipus

One of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's most famous concerts was one that didn't take place. Nearly 30 years ago, the BSO announced Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex , to be staged by Peter Sellars, with Vanessa Redgrave narrating.
Operas at the BSO, plus the Cantata Singers, the BYSO's Macbeth, and Christine Brewer
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | January 21, 2011

The Top 10 Classical Music Stories of 2010

The good, the not-so-good, and the departed
The good, the not-so-good, and the departed
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | December 24, 2010

Review: Jonathan McPhee & the Longwood Symphony Orchestra at Jordan Hall

Jonathan McPhee is a hard man to keep up with.
Where's the audience?
By JEFFREY GANTZ | December 17, 2010

Review: Beethoven with the Discovery Ensemble, the BSO, and Opera Boston

We've had a good deal of Beethoven recently, with the high bar being set by young Courtney Lewis — a former Zander Fellow and the current assistant conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra — and his extraordinary young chamber orchestra, Discovery Ensemble
Heroes and villains
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | October 29, 2010

Review: James Levine with the Met and the BSO

Sighs of relief at Symphony Hall, from patrons and management alike: James Levine, music director of both the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera, had completed a doubleheader.
Plus Mark Morris and Boston Baroque
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | October 22, 2010

James Levine: He's back!

Boston and New York have at least one thing in common. Both have missed James Levine, music director of two of the world's most renowned classical-music institutions.
The conductor returns to the Boston Symphony Orchestra (and the Met)
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | October 08, 2010

Levine on disc

40 years at the Met, Mozart at the BSO
40 years at the Met, Mozart at the BSO
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | October 08, 2010

Fall Classical Preview: The power of music

Here’s my Top 10 list, in chronological order, of some of the season’s most appealing and important classical music events: symphonies, chamber music, operas.
And, we hope, the good health of James Levine
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | September 17, 2010

Feeding frenzy

The media rain on James Levine's parade, plus Boston Midsummer Opera
The media rain on James Levine's parade, plus Boston Midsummer Opera
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | August 07, 2010

Mighty Mahler

Michael Tilson Thomas — music director of the San Francisco Symphony and former assistant, associate, and principal guest conductor of the BSO — was once considered a likely BSO music director.
Michael Tilson Thomas leads Tanglewood's opening night
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | July 16, 2010

Summer treats

From Andean to zydeco, pick your flavor and there's a summer music festival ready to serve it up.
Whether classical, jazz, pop, or folk, 'tis the season to get out and enjoy the music
By CLEA SIMON | June 18, 2010

Rockport rules

Pianist David Deveau, celebrating his 15th year as director of the Rockport Chamber Music Festival (now Rockport Music) and the opening of the elegant, $20 million Shalin Liu Performance Center on Main Street, said that the sound in the new hall, at the
A new beginning for the music festival
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | June 18, 2010

Blythe spirit

Leaving the Cutler Majestic after the opening night of Opera Boston’s latest Offenbach, La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein , you could see the smiling faces of an audience that had had a good time.
Opera Boston’s Offenbach, Thomas Quasthoff, the BSO, Boston Baroque, and BU’s Sondheim
By LLOYD SCHWARTZ | May 14, 2010

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