Ralph P. Locke
@ralphlocke.bsky.social
Emeritus Professor of Musicology, Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester); author and co-editor of books and journal articles on music history, incl. works by Berlioz, Verdi, Saint-Sae"ns, Debussy, Copland, Virgil Thomson, and Bernstein.
artsfuse.org/321352/locke...
My "best of 2025" list is now available (click above) at "The Arts Fuse": including recordings of music by Telemann, Grandval, Bizet, Verdi, and Allen Shawn.....
--Classical music has so much to offer, beyond the usual 50 operas and 100 symphonic pieces!
My "best of 2025" list is now available (click above) at "The Arts Fuse": including recordings of music by Telemann, Grandval, Bizet, Verdi, and Allen Shawn.....
--Classical music has so much to offer, beyond the usual 50 operas and 100 symphonic pieces!
Locke’s List for 2025: Notable Operatic Recordings and a Few Non-Operatic Ones - The Arts Fuse
First recordings of major works and splendid recordings of some others, from Handel to Raff and from Boston’s Musicians of the Old Post Road to the astonishing operatic soprano Aleksandra Kurzak.
artsfuse.org
December 11, 2025 at 11:41 AM
artsfuse.org/321352/locke...
My "best of 2025" list is now available (click above) at "The Arts Fuse": including recordings of music by Telemann, Grandval, Bizet, Verdi, and Allen Shawn.....
--Classical music has so much to offer, beyond the usual 50 operas and 100 symphonic pieces!
My "best of 2025" list is now available (click above) at "The Arts Fuse": including recordings of music by Telemann, Grandval, Bizet, Verdi, and Allen Shawn.....
--Classical music has so much to offer, beyond the usual 50 operas and 100 symphonic pieces!
One of the most thought-provoking short modern operas is Viktor Ullmann's "The Emperor of Atlantis."
--I just published a review of a recent recording: operatoday.com/2025/12/vikt... .
--The cast members convey their roles with energy and vividness.
--And the relevance to today's headlines is eerie.
--I just published a review of a recent recording: operatoday.com/2025/12/vikt... .
--The cast members convey their roles with energy and vividness.
--And the relevance to today's headlines is eerie.
December 11, 2025 at 1:16 AM
One of the most thought-provoking short modern operas is Viktor Ullmann's "The Emperor of Atlantis."
--I just published a review of a recent recording: operatoday.com/2025/12/vikt... .
--The cast members convey their roles with energy and vividness.
--And the relevance to today's headlines is eerie.
--I just published a review of a recent recording: operatoday.com/2025/12/vikt... .
--The cast members convey their roles with energy and vividness.
--And the relevance to today's headlines is eerie.
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a Still Deliciously Daffy Italian Comic Opera from 1769 artsfuse.org/320878/opera...
--Click on the link above for my enthusiastic review of this splendidly performed Paisiello opera.
--Sung in, mostly, Neapolitan--and well translated in the booklet.
--Click on the link above for my enthusiastic review of this splendidly performed Paisiello opera.
--Sung in, mostly, Neapolitan--and well translated in the booklet.
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a Still Deliciously Daffy Italian Comic Opera from 1769 - The Arts Fuse
Paisiello, one of the most successful opera composers in Mozart’s day, offers repeated delight and surprises in this entertainment, thanks to a splendid cast of mostly youngish singers.
artsfuse.org
November 30, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a Still Deliciously Daffy Italian Comic Opera from 1769 artsfuse.org/320878/opera...
--Click on the link above for my enthusiastic review of this splendidly performed Paisiello opera.
--Sung in, mostly, Neapolitan--and well translated in the booklet.
--Click on the link above for my enthusiastic review of this splendidly performed Paisiello opera.
--Sung in, mostly, Neapolitan--and well translated in the booklet.
And here are some images relating to my review of the Graupner (et al.) recording just released by Musicians of the Old Post Road: artsfuse.org/.../november... .
--The "cover" image that showed up in my previous post here was by the renowned Catherine Opie, and has nothing to do with my review.
--The "cover" image that showed up in my previous post here was by the renowned Catherine Opie, and has nothing to do with my review.
November 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
And here are some images relating to my review of the Graupner (et al.) recording just released by Musicians of the Old Post Road: artsfuse.org/.../november... .
--The "cover" image that showed up in my previous post here was by the renowned Catherine Opie, and has nothing to do with my review.
--The "cover" image that showed up in my previous post here was by the renowned Catherine Opie, and has nothing to do with my review.
Now available: the November 2025 ShortFuses feature at www.ArtsFuse.org.
--Including my brief review of a gorgeous, elegant CD of works by Christoph Graupner and other German Baroque composers.
--The alert, lovely performers are the Musicians of the Old Post Road.
-- artsfuse.org/319292/novem... .
--Including my brief review of a gorgeous, elegant CD of works by Christoph Graupner and other German Baroque composers.
--The alert, lovely performers are the Musicians of the Old Post Road.
-- artsfuse.org/319292/novem... .
November Short Fuses — Materia Critica - The Arts Fuse
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
artsfuse.org
November 8, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Now available: the November 2025 ShortFuses feature at www.ArtsFuse.org.
--Including my brief review of a gorgeous, elegant CD of works by Christoph Graupner and other German Baroque composers.
--The alert, lovely performers are the Musicians of the Old Post Road.
-- artsfuse.org/319292/novem... .
--Including my brief review of a gorgeous, elegant CD of works by Christoph Graupner and other German Baroque composers.
--The alert, lovely performers are the Musicians of the Old Post Road.
-- artsfuse.org/319292/novem... .
Here's my review of the delightful and touching opera “Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège” (1767/69), byFrançois-André Philidor (1726-95). Excellent performers from Norway and France!
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a 1760s Opera about . . . Norway artsfuse.org/319050/opera...
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a 1760s Opera about . . . Norway artsfuse.org/319050/opera...
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a 1760s Opera about . . . Norway - The Arts Fuse
First-rate performances, including by a Norwegian orchestra and conductor plus superb international singers, make this one a winner.
artsfuse.org
October 25, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Here's my review of the delightful and touching opera “Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège” (1767/69), byFrançois-André Philidor (1726-95). Excellent performers from Norway and France!
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a 1760s Opera about . . . Norway artsfuse.org/319050/opera...
Opera Album Review: World-Premiere Recording of a 1760s Opera about . . . Norway artsfuse.org/319050/opera...
October Short Fuses — Materia Critica artsfuse.org/317673/octob...
Every month, The Arts Fuse publishes a set of short reviews by different reviewers. My contribution this time is 300 words about a new recording of works by American "maverick" composer Harry Partch.
Ralph P. Locke
Every month, The Arts Fuse publishes a set of short reviews by different reviewers. My contribution this time is 300 words about a new recording of works by American "maverick" composer Harry Partch.
Ralph P. Locke
October Short Fuses — Materia Critica - The Arts Fuse
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
artsfuse.org
October 6, 2025 at 8:28 PM
October Short Fuses — Materia Critica artsfuse.org/317673/octob...
Every month, The Arts Fuse publishes a set of short reviews by different reviewers. My contribution this time is 300 words about a new recording of works by American "maverick" composer Harry Partch.
Ralph P. Locke
Every month, The Arts Fuse publishes a set of short reviews by different reviewers. My contribution this time is 300 words about a new recording of works by American "maverick" composer Harry Partch.
Ralph P. Locke
The cover image of the Harry Partch recording that I just reviewed at "The ArtsFuse" (Boston's leading online arts magazine): artsfuse.org/317673/octob....
October 6, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The cover image of the Harry Partch recording that I just reviewed at "The ArtsFuse" (Boston's leading online arts magazine): artsfuse.org/317673/octob....
My short review of a new recording of works by American composer Harry Partch is one of the October 2025 ShortFuses (brief reviews of CDs, films, theater, etc.) in "The ArtsFuse" (Boston's leading online arts magazine) by clicking here: artsfuse.org/317673/octob....
--Lively, colorful performances!
--Lively, colorful performances!
October Short Fuses — Materia Critica - The Arts Fuse
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
artsfuse.org
October 6, 2025 at 6:23 PM
My short review of a new recording of works by American composer Harry Partch is one of the October 2025 ShortFuses (brief reviews of CDs, films, theater, etc.) in "The ArtsFuse" (Boston's leading online arts magazine) by clicking here: artsfuse.org/317673/octob....
--Lively, colorful performances!
--Lively, colorful performances!