By Gregory Moomjy In the 19th century, composers like Liszt and Wagner gave music a special directive. They decreed it should forever move towards greater power of expression. This philosophy has led to the creation of everything from operas like Tristan und Isolde and Erwartung, to the serial compositions of Pierre Boulez and Milton Babbitt.…Continue reading Review: You Are Under Our Space Control

by Gregory Moomjy Sitcom fans who also have a soft spot for Jean-Paul Sartre are a rare breed. Yet, for those that do, this year is bittersweet. NBC’s The Good Place is currently in its fourth and final season. Despite its many moments of low brow humor, the basic pitch for the show, according to…Continue reading REVIEW: Rev. 23

Magdalene at Prototype Festival by Gregory Moomjy Despite all the chronological milestones that were recently achieved, the new year, a new decade, 2020 marks one important milestone in American history which should not go unrecognized. A century ago, in 1920 Congress ratified the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. Appropriately the classical music…Continue reading REVIEW: Magdalene

Blood Moon at Prototype Festival by Gregory Moomjy Opera is full of ghost stories. Throughout the centuries audiences have thrilled to Lucia going insane while being tormented by the spirits of Scottish paramours or watching the Flying Dutchman’s quest for unconventional love unto death. In more modern times, the ghosts in John Corigliano’s Versailles have…Continue reading REVIEW: Blood Moon

Don Giovanni at Bronx Opera by Gregory Moomjy It’s scary to think that it is almost ten years since I was in college. As a budding musicologist it should come as no surprise that I took an Introduction to Music History and to this day one assignment stands out. Our professor instructed us to write…Continue reading REVIEW: Don Giovanni