Critic’s Notebook
The Composer Who Changed Opera With ‘a Beautiful Simplicity’
In the mid-1700s, Christoph Willibald Gluck overthrew the musical excesses around him. A marathon double bill in France shows the vibrancy of his vision.
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Music
Highlights
CreditMonika Rittershaus/Iphigénie en Aulide The Booty-Shaking Anthem That Still Endures, 25 Years Later
Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” was a 1999 hit that brought twerking and New Orleans bounce into the mainstream. Here’s the story of how it became a sensation.
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CreditRaymond Boyd/Getty Images Why We Still Want to Hear the ‘Ode to Joy,’ 200 Years Later
Beethoven’s aspirational vision of unity and peace can be applied to virtually any situation or place. The music makes sure of that.
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CreditMark Sandten/Bongarts, via Getty Images 5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Wayne Shorter
“He always was a genius,” Herbie Hancock says of his friend and collaborator. Hear a sampling of that genius in these 13 tracks.
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CreditDante Zaballa
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Classical Music
More in Classical Music ›4 Objects That Explain the History of Carnegie Hall
A new podcast explores an array of items from the 133-year-old hall’s archive, like Ella Fitzgerald’s glasses and an opening-night ticket.
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CreditPeter Garritano for The New York Times The Nearly Lost Work of a ‘Born Opera Composer’ Returns
Only one copy survives of Carolina Uccelli’s 1835 opera “Anna di Resburgo.” The story behind it is a human one, touching and somewhat sad.
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CreditMuseo Donizettiano, Bergamo Review: ‘Robeson’ Illuminates a Titanic Artist and Activist
Davóne Tines plays Paul Robeson in a solo show on Little Island that weaves together the words and music of this American hero to tell his story.
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CreditJulieta Cervantes What Happened When an Orchestra Said Goodbye to All-Male Concerts
This season, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin experimented with programming works by female composers at every performance. Results were mixed.
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CreditFabian Schellhorn Paul Sperry, Tenor Who Specialized in American Song, Dies at 90
He carved out a niche by singing the music of living composers from his own country. He was praised by critics at home and abroad.
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CreditVictor Parker
When Your Identical Twin Wins a Grammy
Junia Lin Jonsdottir helped create the romantic visual world inhabited by her sister, the singer-songwriter Laufey. Please stop asking if she’s jealous.
By Callie Holtermann
The Brokes Play the Strokes for an Adoring New York Crowd
A cover band from Toronto brings some 2000s nostalgia to the home city of their indie rock heroes.
By Alex Vadukul
Rob Stone, Master Marketer of Hip-Hop, Is Dead at 55
A founder of the influential music magazine The Fader, he also bridged the worlds of hip-hop and the Fortune 500 with his innovative marketing agency.
By Alex Williams
San Francisco’s Arts Institutions Are Slowly Building Back
Although attendance remains down from prepandemic levels, the city’s arts groups are having some success getting audiences to return.
By Robin Pogrebin
An All ‘Independence’ Playlist for the Fourth of July
Listen to songs by Martina McBride, Destiny’s Child, Kelly Clarkson and more.
By Caryn Ganz
Critic’s NotebookAt 100, the Intergalactic Jazz Hero Marshall Allen Is Still on a Mission
The Sun Ra Arkestra saxophonist, who remains captivated by the power of sound, is an inspiring onstage presence.
By Hank Shteamer
Young Thug’s Gang Trial Is Paused Because of Judge’s Secret Meeting
The much-delayed case was halted indefinitely to determine whether the judge should recuse himself after meeting with an uncooperative witness.
By Joe Coscarelli
Critic’s PickOmar Apollo’s Exquisite Heartache
His second album, “God Said No,” delves into a breakup with all its complications, transformed into pensive alt-R&B.
By Jon Pareles
Shania Twain, Officially a ‘Legend’
The Glastonbury Festival’s coveted “Legend’s Slot,” at 3:45 p.m. Sunday, was hers and she said she was ready for the “most extraordinary party of my career.”
By Alex Marshall and Ellie Smith
The Global profileThe World’s Next Big Drag Queen Is Brazilian
Pabllo Vittar has become an A-list pop star and L.G.B.T.Q. activist in Brazil. Can she conquer the world?
By Jack Nicas and Victor Moriyama
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