As consistently praised as Doug Varone's work is among those working in the field, his work has been largely ill-reviewed in the New York Times. So what's the deal? Is it as simple as listening to one's heart, versus one's mind?

A lot going on, but I think it would be burying the lead if I didn’t mention an article I was asked to write for the New York Times Opinionator Blog called Rebel Music.  It’s about growing up in a non-musical place and a non-musical family and being blown to smithereens by classical music, long before [...]

Radio station WQXR has found a buyer. In the rough-seas economy we’re in, this news might qualify as a small miracle. On Tuesday afternoon came the announcement that 73-year-old all-classical radio station WQXR—owned by the financially-troubled New York Times—has been sold to public radio station WNYC. The plan is for WNYC to continue broadcasting in [...]

A few months ago, I blogged about then-incoming New York City Opera general manager Gérard Mortier, quoting from an interview he had recently given to French public radio to try to divine what was in store for opera lovers in NYC. Frankly I was excited about the prospect of Mortier taking over NYCO and potentially [...]

What do you do when it’s time for a TV commercial break? If you’re like me, you check your e-mail, brush your teeth, grab a cookie, throw some laundry in the drier, pay some bills—anything but watch the darn thing. And of course, though I’m too technophobic to learn how to use it, TiVo (DVR) [...]