Opera · February 2026
Ranking All 13 Andrea Chénier Videos
Judging the films of Giordano's French Revolution opera epic by production and not just voice. Kaufmann, Corelli, Del Monaco and Tebaldi vie for the top spot.
February 26, 2026
All Essays
Opera · January 2026
The New York Times Misses Its Moment at the Met’s Kavalier and Clay
The Metropolitan Opera's new WW2 comic book epic has proved there is a vast audience for the right new opera.
January 29, 2026
Theater · December 2025
Tom Stoppard Grew from a Man of No Conviction: An Appreciation
When the greatest living playwright ceased to be last month, he left behind a towering monument of "reformed man" literature. He also reformed me.
December 22, 2025
Film · November 2025
Why Aren’t There More Toni Morrison Film Adaptations?
More than 50 years after her first novel, the only Toni Morrison film remains "Beloved." Announced projects have yet to materialize. What's going on?
November 18, 2025
Books · November 2025
Reading and Ranking All of Toni Morrison’s Novels in 30 Days
Rankings of Toni Morrison novels proved hard to find online. So I devoured all of her brilliant books in a month and did the job myself.
November 18, 2025
Theater · October 2025
Is Eugene O’Neill’s Reputation Getting Fragile?
Broadway is in its longest Eugene O'Neill drought in a century, and a recent film portrays him as a racist jerk. Is his literary standing softening—again?
October 20, 2025