After a successful run of Wagner’s Das Rheingold in August, Seattle Opera is back with Handel’s Alcina.  From its premiere at Covent Garden in 1735, Alcina was one of Handel’s most successful operas, with a record 18 subsequent performances.  But Alcina’s early success wasn’t enough to keep it on stage. Performances were scarce until it…

In late 2020, I decided to listen to Beethoven’s 32 sonatas in chronological order.  Consider it my take on one of those pandemic-era “deep dives” – sourdough bread, birding – that we all took. My love for Beethoven dates back to 1996, when a dear friend introduced me to classical music for the first time. …