Showstoppers: A night of musical perfection

A music review by Victor Grynberg Read more

Kaddish – a Holocaust Memorial concert

A music review by Victor Grynberg Read more

Sunset Boulevard

A musical review by Victor Grynberg Read more

The Magic Flute now brilliant Australiana

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in his all too short life, wrote masterpiece after masterpiece…writes Victor Grynberg. Read more

Verdi’s masterpiece La Traviata in best production ever

An Opera review by Victor Grynberg Read more

Adriana Lecouvreur: An opera review by Victor Grynberg

Francesco Cilea’s ADRIANA LECOUVREUR is a rarely produced opera nowadays, and this critic doesn’t recall ever seeing it before. Read more

Mozart’s evil hero Don Giovanni brilliantly portrayed writes Victor Grynberg

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) is often described as one of the big three of classical composition, along with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. Read more

Handel’s Messiah: a choral concert reviewed by Victor Grynberg

Since I attended the opening of the Sydney Opera House 50 years ago, I have attended perhaps more than 1500 performances there. Read more

Verdi’s Attila: another masterpiece – reviewed by Victor Grynberg

Giuseppe Verdi, in the judgement of many, was the greatest ever composer of operas. Read more

The Phantom of the Opera: a review by Victor Grynberg

A season virtually sold out before opening night was a definite indication that the local audience was expecting something special from the first Sydney Opera House staging of this mega-hit. Read more

Stacey Alleaume magnificent in classic Traviata triumph

If Giuseppe Verdi is indeed the greatest opera composer (which I certainly think he is ) then among his many great compositions La Traviata must surely be close to the very top…writes Victor Grynberg. Read more

Madama Butterfly: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

Bravo Opera Australia, which once more has given us an unforgettable evening. Read more

The Phantom of the Opera: Victor Grynberg reviews the opera on the harbour

It’s 25 years since I first saw a production of THE PHANTOM, that time in the original production in London’s West End. Read more

The Marriage of Figaro: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is widely regarded as the third member of the greatest classical composers trio, along with Johann Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. Read more

Come from Away: a musical review by Victor Grynberg

It would not be accurate to describe “Come from Away” as simply a musical. Read more

Aida: Tragic love story is operatic triumph – an opera review by Victor Grynberg

Re-staged in Sydney for the first time since its amazing success in 2018 this digital backgrounded production of Giuseppe Verdi’s blockbuster reached even greater heights this season. Read more

Violetta dies, but La Traviata will live forever: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

Two of the most popular operas of all time are Giacomo Puccini’s LA BOHEME and Giuseppe Verdi’s LA TRAVIATA. Read more

Bluebeard’s Castle: Sumegi’s vocal mastery a triumph

Bela Bartok, the most famous of the 20^th Century Hungarian composers only wrote one opera, a one-hour one-act piece with only two singers, Bluebeard and his new wife Judit…writes Victor Grynberg. Read more

Tosca: Puccini’s masterpiece even better under John Bell’s direction

Since its premiere in Rome in 1900 at a time of political unrest, Giacomo Puccini’s opera of the Vincent Sardou French-language play “La Tosca” has been one of the most popular pieces in the whole operatic repertoire…writes Victor Grynberg. Read more

The Merry Widow: an operetta review by Victor Grynberg

So there we were in the Joan Sutherland Theatre of the Sydney Opera House, about to see our first Opera Australia production since their magnificent production of the early Verdi masterpiece “Attila” had its season dramatically curtailed by the arrival of COVID fears 10 months ago. Read more

Faust: McVicar’s devilish take on classic opera…an opera review by Victor Grynberg

One of France’s greatest ever composers, Charles Gounod had an immediate hit on his hands when his opera Faust finally premiered in Paris in 1859. Read more

Don Giovanni: singers shine in Mozart masterpiece

Don Giovanni is the tale brought to Mozart by his librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte when he was looking for a story to follow his great success with The Marriage Of Figaro writes Victor Grynberg. Read more

John Bell’s Havana colours bring extra delight To Carmen: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

George Bizet died tragically at only 37 years of age, after 33 mixed-reviewed performances of his Spanish-themed opera Carmen. Read more

La Boheme: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

A summertime favourite at the Opera House almost every year, La Boheme received that rare Sydney accolade, an almost total standing ovation after this year’s opening night. Read more

A Hakoah hero passes away..

Former Hakoah player and coach Gerry Chaldi passed away this week in the Montefiore Home in Sydney’s Hunters Hill on the day his daughter Alex was married in Israel where she lives. Read more

Bright young stars shine In West Side Story: a review by Victor Grynberg

If PORGY and BESS is the pre-eminent American Folk Opera, then certainly WEST SIDE STORY is the outstanding American Musical. Read more

Whiteley: a stunning triumph for Opera Australia

Victor Grynberg reviews the premiere of a new Australian opera recounting the life of the iconic artist Brett Whiteley… Read more

Madama Butterfly reaches new heights: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

When Opera Australia premiered their new era digital sets last year with the production of AIDA not everybody was as enthusiastic as this critic. Read more

Salome: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

Once banned. Still shocking. But Salome is bloody and fantastic. Read more

Werther: an opera review by Victor Grynberg

Suicide is painless when Massenet pulls the strings. Read more

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