As its final offering of its inaugural season, Lyric Opera Virginia presented one of the greatest operas in the repertoire – Bizet’s Carmen. This jewel box production lost little in its slimmed-down version, according to our critic, M.D. Ridge.

For the past eight years, the Virginia Arts Festival and the John Duffy Composers Institute has offered an opportunity for music of promising young composers to be presented to the public. This year’s “Masterworks in the Making” program concentrated on character and structure. M.D. Ridge reports on the results.

The Virginia Arts Festival concludes with one of the largest and most emotional works in the concert repertoire, the Symphony No. 8 by Gustav Mahler. The work has never been performed in this area, in large part because of the number of musicians required. Raymond Jones spoke with Virginia Symphony conductor Joann Falletta about performing this “Symphony of a Thousand.”

The 2012 Virginia Arts Festival opened with a recital by America’s reigning diva, soprano Renee Fleming. Her appearance at the Harrison Opera House proved once again that Fleming is one of the finest singers before the public today. M.D. Ridge reports on the performance.

For its final subscription concert of the season, the Virginia symphony performed three colorful, romantic and seldom-heard pieces. The orchestra was joined by pianist William Wolfram and all were roundly cheered, including our critic, M.D. Ridge.

The American Theater in Hampton was the site of another virtuoso performance recently, this time by cellist Matt Haimovitz, who offered Bach as well as contemporary music for solo cello. M.D. Ridge reports.

The Tidewater Classical Guitar Society continued their tradition of presenting the best young guitarists in the world with the appearance of Thibault Cauvin in Williamsburg and Norfolk. Our critic, M.D. Ridge, attended the Norfolk performance and was greatly impressed.

The Virginia’s Opera’s final production of the season, Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado,” lived up to it rollicking reputation, according to our critic, M.D. Ridge

For its final production of the season, Virginia Opera turns to the rollicking Gilbert and Sullivan operetta “The Mikado.” On just about anyone’s little list of lighthearted musical favorites, this work stands near the top. Virginia Opera’s Community Outreach Musical Director, Dr. Glenn Winters, gives us many reasons why this is so.

Joann Falletta and the Virginia Symphony presented a rich, romantic program for their April Classics concerts. A powerful performance of the Prokofiev Fifth Symphony was complemented by the Grieg Piano Concerto with an exciting new young talent – Natasha Paremski – as soloist. M.D. Ridge reports.