Formerly-fluent-in-French Bwogger Alan Wang attended a dialogue on modern tolerance in French and American communities.

Saturday night, the Columbia Bach Society put on a performance of Henry Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas. Bwog sent our trusty opera extraordinaire Alexandra Svokos to check out the show and report. We all know this Alexandra can’t say no to a good opera. Space at Columbia is likely the performing art community’s greatest challenge. […]

On Thursday night, American classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein had a “Special Event” concert at Miller Theatre. Muhly-phile Alexandra Svokos was there, though unfortunately missed the first piece (Bach’s Two-Part Inventions for keyboard, BWV 772-786) for a class. Simone Dinnerstein is full of presence and feelings. From her face and posture as she plays, she appears to […]

This past week, the libraries rolled out an exciting new resource: Columbia students now have free access to Met Opera On Demand, which features video and audio recordings of operas live from the Met. We combed through the catalog to find what you should be watching. Also note that today WKCR is honoring Benjamin Britten’s […]

This past Wednesday, Casa Italiana showcased pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski. He performed selections from Philip Glass’s The Hours score as well as his own solo piano arrangements of Strauss’s Capriccio and “Four Last Songs.” This concert featured the premiere of Soukhovetski’s arrangement of the final scene of Verdi’s La Traviata. Traviata obsessor Alexandra Svokos was, naturally, there. Soukhovetski is a […]

On Monday in Butler, archivist aardvark Alexandra Svokos listened to Barbara Haws, actual NYPhil archivist, Jane Ginsburg, Columbia Law prof, and Shamus Khan talk about the New York Philharmonic’s Digital Archives. As it turns out, the New York Philharmonic has a hugely extensive collection of old things. Barbara Haws explained that they have over 7,000 […]

Last night, Bwog’s resident opera enthusiast Alexandra Svokos ran to the Metropolitan Opera to see Two Boys, a new opera by Nico Muhly, CCxJ’03, which had its Met premiere on Monday. “Oh shit, that’s me,” was my first thought as the curtain opened last night on Nico Muhly’s Two Boys at the Metropolitan Opera. The conductor hit […]

  Nico Muhly, CCxJ’03 (that’s Columbia-Juilliard Exchange), has worked with Philip Glass, Björk, and Grizzly Bear, among countless others.  On October 21, Two Boys, an opera Muhly composed, will have its Metropolitan Opera premiere.  Bwog’s resident opera enthusiast Alexandra Svokos was too starstruck to give him a high-five for Veckatimest. Nico Muhly, CCxJ’03, unlike some […]

You may have realized that Bwog is secretly a huge opera fan.  So when this question landed in our tip form, we were more than happy to find the answer. Dear Bwog, I just heard WKCR is doing a 48 hour broadcast to commemorate Wagner’s bicentennial in a week and a half. Can somebody please […]

CUPAL Presents: Opera Untapped was this past Thursday and Friday night in the Lerner Black Box. Our world-famous opera connoisseur and critic, Alexandra Svokos, was in the audience. Experience the enchantment! If you happen to know me at all, you know I want nothing more than a world in which everyone is a loud and […]

As campus groups are still rolling into the new season and you still don’t have a shit-ton of work, why not go further?  Break out of the bubble while you still have the chance and catch some of Bwog staff’s cultural picks for the week. Columbia: The Institute for Comparative Literature and Society is hosting […]

Today and tomorrow the Metropolitan Opera will be having their Eastern District National Council Auditions right here at Columbia.  Singers are competing for an opportunity in the final round to sing onstage at the Met, where tickets run up to $80, and winners get a sizable chunk of money and press.  Most winners wind up […]

The 2012-2013 season at Miller Theatre opened last night with Venezia. It will be playing again tomorrow and is sold out, but a stand-by line will be open at 6 pm. Wannabe Venetian Alexandra Svokos checked it out. Miller Theatre opened their season with the words “I do not know if I am awake, or […]

It’s finally the weekend again!  After what we’re sure was a hot mess totally composed Bacchanal experience, perhaps you’d like to regain some dignity points.  With this in mind, Bwog urges you to try something new and follow this handy guide detailing the ideal operatic soundtrack to your drink of choice.  Toast to your friends […]

While Charles Manson was denied parole, George Zimmerman was charged for second-degree murder.  (Los Angeles Times, New York Times) Not one but two Columbia University affiliates were published in HuffPost – Ravita Segal, Barnard research assistant and TA, and Rosario Quiroz, CC’11 (Huffington Post) In another instance of California natural ailments striking the east coast, […]