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Articles by Raymond Stults

A New Season of Opera Dawns at the Bolshoi

The Bolshoi Theater re-opens on September 10 for a 241st season that, when it comes to additions to its operatic repertoire, promises to be its most adventurous...

The RNO Festival: A Chance to Hear Russia’s Finest Symphonic Orchestra

For the eighth year in a row, the Russian National Orchestra, one of the country’s very finest symphonic ensembles, inaugurates the classical music concert...

Moscow's Steamship Bolshoi Keeps Rolling

In the summer of 2013, a British film production team was given unprecedented access to the Bolshoi Theater to make a documentary about the theater's...

A Truly Sensational Salome at Novaya Opera

Never in my 25 years of attending opera in Moscow has the term "sensational" come to mind in describing a new production by a local opera theater...

Moscow Opera Season Preview: A Great Year

The 2015-16 season of opera in Moscow enjoyed a rousing start last month when Novaya Opera Theater brought to its stage a new version of Richard...

Bizet's 'Carmen' Sputters at the Bolshoi

Since its first staging at the Bolshoi Theater in 1898, Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" has been performed by the Bolshoi company nearly 1,200 times...

A Grand Festival That Lives Up to Its Name

For the seventh year in a row, the Russian National Orchestra (RNO) is due to inaugurate the Moscow classical music concert season with its Grand...

A Surprise-Filled 15th Tchaikovsky Competition

This year's 15th International Tchaikovsky Competition came to an end on Thursday and Friday evenings with successive gala concerts in its two host...

Benois de la Danse Gives a Fascinating Glimpse

Benois de la Danse is one of the most important annual events in the world of ballet. Since its founding in 1992 by then-Bolshoi Theater ballet artistic...

Gerzmava Shines in 'Medea' Opera at Stanislavsky

When the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater announced last September that it had picked Luigi Cherubini's "Medea" as one of its new...

Trans-Siberian Arts Festival Shines in Novosibirsk

Very few travelers, whether foreign or domestic, are likely to go out of their way to visit Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city, located some 3...

Musicality Redeems 'Queen of Spades' Opera at Moscow's Bolshoi Theater

Apart from its staging of "The Story of Kai and Gerda," an opera aimed primarily at young audiences, the Bolshoi Theater's array of new operatic...

Bolshoi's 'Hamlet' Doesn't Repeat 'Romeo' Success

Just over 11 years ago, the team of Moldovan choreographer Radu Poklitaru and British drama director Declan Donnellan caused something of a sensation...

Stanislavsky's 'Khovanshchina' Is Compelling Piece

When a film version of Modest Mussorgsky's opera "Khovanshchina" appeared in 1959 and posters advertising it were displayed throughout Moscow, a little...

Vishneva Shines in New Neumeier Ballet 'Tatiana'

Alexander Pushkin's verse-novel "Eugene Onegin," American-born choreographer John Neumeier and Mariinsky Theater prima ballerina Diana Vishneva have all...

Casting Disappoints In 'Legend of Love'

Prior to the Bolshoi Theater's revival two weeks ago of Yury Grigorovich's "A Legend of Love," I had long considered it the best of the 15 Grigorovich...

Pokrovsky Theater Stages Beethoven's Only Opera

"Of all my offspring, this composition caused me the greatest birth pains and later the greatest grief, and therefore I value it more dearly than any...

Yekaterinburg Opens With Stunning Glass Opera

The Yekaterinburg Theater of Opera and Ballet took a bold step in opening its 103rd season last month with a production of contemporary American...

Pletnev to Play, Conduct RNO at Grand Festival

The Grand Festival, which was founded by pianist Mikhail Pletnev, starts Saturday and runs till Sept. 28.

Bolshoi Ballet Does Shakespeare's 'Taming of Shrew'

The Bolshoi Theater closed its 2013-2014 season of ballet earlier this month with a brand-new work based on William Shakespeare's comedy "The Taming...

Conductor Tugan Sokhiev to Debut in New Bolshoi Season

The Bolshoi Theater recently announced its plans for the coming season, which opens on September 14 with a performance of Modest Mussorgsky's opera...

Stanislavsky's 'Aida' Leaves Much to Be Desired

The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater has this season courageously taken on two of the most formidable beasts in the operatic...

'Tsar's Bride' Makes Triumphant Return to Bolshoi

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Tsar's Bride," arguably the composer's most popular opera, has returned to the Bolshoi Theater's Main Stage after nearly...

A Profound 'Prince Igor' From Met Opera

Week before last, New York's Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Alexander Borodin's "Prince Igor," directed by Dmitry Chernyakov, well-known...

Tugan Sokhiev to Be New Bolshoi Music Director

In the space of just seven weeks since the abrupt resignation of Vasily Sinaisky as Bolshoi Theater music director and chief conductor, the theater...

Substitutes Hold Together Bolshoi's 'Don Carlo'

The Bolshoi Theater's new production of Verdi's "Don Carlo" was a success, though future performances will need better conducting.

Bolshoi Prepares for 'Don Carlo,' Minus a Conductor

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi, the Bolshoi Theater might have taken a relatively painless route by opting for a...

World-Class Vienna Philharmonic Hits Moscow

In the remarkably short span of 15 days, ending last Sunday, Moscow was visited by two of what are likely the best symphony orchestras in the world...

Stanislavsky Returns to Original in Restaging of 'La Bayadere'

There are few greater challenges in the classical ballet repertoire than "La Bayadere," one of the supreme creations of Frenchman Marius Petipa during...

Pianist Denis Matsuev Brings Energy and Enthusiasm to Concerts

Early last month, 11 prominent soloists of the Bolshoi Theater's ballet company, including four prima ballerinas, interrupted their brief vacation from the...

Wagner Premieres at Stanislavsky Theater

Celebrating this year's 200th anniversary of the birth of German composer Richard Wagner, opera houses throughout the world are marking the occasion...

Tchaikovsky Opens Bolshoi's New Season

The Bolshoi Theater opened its 238th season Tuesday with a performance at its New Stage of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's opera "The Queen of Spades." Ahead...

Bolshoi's 'Onegin' is Lyrical, Elegant and Precise

It came as no great surprise, in view of the tumult within the Bolshoi Theater during recent months, to find its season-ending premiere of John Cranko's...

Legendary Polunin to Dazzle in 'Mayerling' Ballet

Following Sergei Polunin's resignation from the London-based Royal Ballet, he is set to appear onstage at the Stanislavsky.

First Russian Staging Of 'The Three Pintos'

As the joint creation of two master composers, "Die drei Pintos" (The Three Pintos) must certainly count among the most unusual works in the entire operatic...

International Ballet Competition Held at Bolshoi

In the late 1960s, three now-legendary figures in the world of Russian dance, ballerinas Galina Ulanova and Olga Lepeshinskaya and choreographer Igor...

Bolshoi's 'Rite of Spring' Festival Goes On Despite Turmoil

Despite the turmoil following the attack in mid-January on Bolshoi ballet artistic director Sergei Filin, the theater has continued without hesitation...

'Sonnambula' Draws New Guest Artists to Bolshoi

Over the past few seasons, the Bolshoi Theater has made great strides in adopting practices that have long been followed in most of the world's big-league...

American Soprano's Dream to Play Sleepwalker Becomes Reality

For my very first Moscow Times interview, in 1994, I chose a vivacious coloratura soprano from Texas by the name of Laura Claycomb, who at the time...

Vishnevskaya: Woman of Talent, Superhuman Will

Over the past few days, the world has lost four great musicians whose art flourished in the second half of the 20th century: Indian sitar virtuoso...

12 Years on, 'La Traviata' Returns to the Bolshoi

Giuseppe Verdi's immensely popular opera "La traviata" returned to the Bolshoi Theater last month, following an absence of 12 years, in a very successful...

Modern Setting Works in Brilliant 'Boris Godunov'

Less than a week after returning from Perm late last month to see a new production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro," I...

'Marriage of Figaro' Wows at Perm Opera Theater

The city of Perm can hardly be said to lie on anything truly resembling a beaten path. Yet in spite of its remoteness, and almost uniquely among...

5 New Operas Set for New Bolshoi Season

As a prelude to its 237th season, the Bolshoi Theater is playing host to Milan's Teatro alla Scala, which opens its visit to the Bolshoi's Main Stage...

Perm Ballet Proves to Be a Major Season Highlight

There has been much to enjoy during the past season of dance in Moscow. But looking back over it, there was nothing that gave me more pleasure than...

Bolshoi Succeeds With New 'Der Rosenkavalier'

The Bolshoi Theater seemed to be asking for trouble when it chose Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier" for one of its new opera productions of the...

Bolshoi Gives Nod to 21st Century Ballet at Fest

The ballet company of the Bolshoi Theater spends the greater part of its time tending the monsters that inhabit its Jurassic Park of 19th-century...

Tchaikovsky's 'Enchantress' Premieres at Bolshoi

At the third new production of opera at its reconstructed Main Stage, the Bolshoi Theater recently presented Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "The Enchantress,"...

Benois de la Danse Brings Best of Ballet to Bolshoi

One of the most prestigious prizes in the world of ballet, Benois de la Danse, celebrated its 20th anniversary last week at the Main Stage of the...

Mixed Results as Bolshoi Theater's 'Jewels' Debuts

No dance troupe in the world, even today's New York City Ballet, the company which George Balanchine founded in 1946 and led until his death 39 years...

Bolshoi Theater Brings Balanchine's 'Jewels' to Life

The Bolshoi Theater presents its second ballet premiere of the current season Saturday, George Balanchine's "Jewels," widely considered the first-ever...

The Russian Nobel Prize Awarded in Yaroslavl

If you've never heard of the Russian Nobel Prize, you're not alone. I was completely unaware of it myself until a friend arranged an invitation for me...

Chicago Symphony Set for Rare Moscow Concerts

The Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory plays host Wednesday and Thursday to one of the world's most esteemed orchestral ensembles, the Chicago...

Bashmet Brings New Music Festival to Khabarovsk

Violist and conductor Yury Bashmet is a man of many festivals, acting as artistic director or principal attraction, or both, of at least a dozen,...

Bolshoi Theater Goes Big With 'Der Rosenkavalier'

Living up to its name, the Bolshoi Theater has turned its 2011-12 season into a season of "the big." To fill its Main Stage after six years of reconstruction...

Double Bill of One-Act Operas at Novaya Opera

Novaya Opera takes an adventurous turn Friday with the premiere, in concert performance, of a pair of one-act operas by Italian and French composers...

Mixed Feelings at the Sochi Winter Arts Festival

Over the four years immediately preceding the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, the Culture Ministry has taken it upon itself to provide the host city of Sochi...

Bolshoi's Corps de Ballet in Top Form in 'Beauty'

Grandiose is the best one-word description I can come up with for the Bolshoi Theater's partly new production of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's ballet "Sleeping...

Duato Experiments With Sleeping Beauty

The summer before last came the surprising announcement that Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato, a major driving force in contemporary ballet, had agreed...

Novaya Opera to Run Epiphany Week Fest

For the eighth year in a row, the end of the January holidays will bring with it the beginning of Novaya Opera's Epiphany Week festival, honoring...

Stanislavsky Stages Lacotte Version of 'La Sylphide'

The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater has enjoyed remarkable success over the past three years in adding to its ballet repertoire...

Mariinsky Soloist Vishneva Dances at Stanislavsky

Every appearance in Moscow by Mariinsky Theater prima ballerina Diana Vishneva is bound to be an event of great allure to the city's ballet-going...

Annecy Classical Music Fest Gets Russian Rescue

Russian musicians, Russian artistic direction and Russian money have combined forces for the past two Augusts to present a lavish festival of classical...

Svetlanov Orchestra Seals Jurowski Deal

The Culture Ministry has announced the appointment of Vladimir Jurowski as chief conductor of the Svetlanov State Symphony Orchestra. Jurowski, 39...

Peter the Great Opera Has Rare Moscow Showing

The Pokrovsky Chamber Musical Theater's 40th season got off to lively and highly entertaining start last month when it added yet another out-of-way...

Stanislavsky Offers Best of Contemporary Dance

This season, after an interval of four years, the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater has revived its long-standing festival known...

RNO Festival Mixes Symphony, Jazz and Ballet

For the third September in a row, the Moscow concert season has gotten under way with the Large Festival of the Russian National Orchestra, which...

Matsuev, Bashmet Play at Azeri Silk Route Outpost

In the final days of July, a group of distinguished Russian musicians gathered in a remote corner of northern Azerbaijan to take part in the principal...

Operalia Outshines Tchaikovsky Competition

World-renowned tenor Placido Domingo came to Moscow in mid-July, bringing with him Operalia, an annual competition for young opera singers that he...

Revamped Tchaikovsky Contest Gives Out Prizes

The 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition reached its conclusion over the weekend with concerts in Moscow and St. Petersburg featuring 14 of its...

Alvin Ailey Theater Starts 6-Performance Run

One of the world's most celebrated modern dance troupes, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, opens a six-performance run Tuesday at the Stanislavsky...

Sochi Aims for 'Cultural Olympics' With Arts Fest

Culture doesn't automatically spring to mind when you think of Sochi these days. But along with its massive preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic...

Don't Miss 'Mermaid,' 'Por Vos Muero' Ballets

This season, the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theater has added to its already impressive repertoire of contemporary ballet three...

Gergiev's Easter Festival Marathon Starts Sunday

For the 10th year in a row, Easter celebrations on Sunday are set to include the opening of the Moscow Easter Festival, with bell ringing in the...

Ballet Awards Set to Be Given at The Golden Mask

The Golden Mask Festival of 2011 comes to end this evening at Gostinny Dvor with the awarding of prizes for what the festival's juries consider...

American Ballet Returns at Rostropovich Festival

This Sunday, the 84th anniversary of the birth of the great cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, marks the beginning of the 2nd International...

Bolshoi Theater Gets New Artistic Director

After more than a week of turmoil surrounding leadership of its renowned ballet troupe, the Bolshoi Theater announced the appointment of former Bolshoi...

Triple Bill Features Balanchine, Forsythe at Bolshoi

Following last season's mostly dubious parade of ballet revivals and reconstructions and the disastrous "Creation 2010 …" by French choreographer...

Duato, Balanchine in Bolshoi Theater's 'Reflections'

In the last days of January, the Bolshoi Theater brought to its stage the Moscow premiere of “Reflections,” an evening of mostly new ballets featuring...

Ambitious New Opera Stagings Fail to Impress

The current opera season got off to an unusually bad start in the months leading up to the end of 2010. The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical...

Novaya Opera Launches 7th Epiphany Week Fest

Novaya Opera is set once again to relieve the post-holiday gloom with its seventh annual Epiphany Week festival, which in fact runs not for a week, but...

Stanislavsky Ballet Troupe Shines in 'Slice to Sharp'

With the Bolshoi’s ballet company largely caught in the doldrums since the departure of artistic director Alexei Ratmansky, the real action on the Moscow...

Great Singing But Bolshoi’s ‘Don Giovanni’ Flops

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni,” once described by French composer Charles Gounod as “a work without blemish, of uninterrupted perfection...

Navy Orchestra Takes Up 200-Year-Old Horns

The Prokofiev Hall of the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture will resound Thursday with the blare of trumpets and the beat of drums, all of them nearly 200...

Les Arts Florissants Make Their Russian Debut

The current Year of France in Russia is likely to reach its musical high point Friday evening, when France’s most distinguished early music ensemble...

Bolshoi, Preljocaj Combine for 'Creation 2010'

The Bolshoi Theater’s 235th season got off to a highly unusual start with the world premiere of a new ballet by the celebrated French choreographer Angelin...

Duato at Chekhov Festival Is Highlight of Season

For many dance enthusiasts, the season of 2009-10 reached its high point with the appearance in July of the National Dance Company of Spain, led by its...

Bolshoi Takes 'Maid of Pskov' to Its Actual Setting

The ancient city of Pskov recently marked the 500th anniversary of its accession to the Grand Principality of Moscow. As part of the celebration, the city...