Author Archives: Neil Kurtzman
Chating with GPT
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 12th March 2026Many users feed information to their AI of choice and ask it to organize it. I usually do the reverse. I feed it organized data and ask it to source it or verify it. Almost always, I’m asking the machine (usually ChatGPT) questions to which I already know the answer. As the machine speaks or…
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LSO Master Works 4 – Program Notes
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 8th March 2026The following are the program notes I wrote for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra’s March 28 concert. Tickets can be purchased here. Price Symphony No. 1 Florence Price (1887–1953) was an important American composer and pianist. She was born Florence Beatrice Smith to Florence (Gulliver) and James H. Smith on April 9, 1887, in Little Rock,…
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Operas With Organ Parts
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 3rd March 2026There are several operas in which the organ has a prominent role. It is the reason that many major opera houses have organs built into their architecture. Examples include the Metropolitan Opera House, the Sydney Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Palais Garnier, the Royal Opera House London, and the Rome Opera. Here are several…
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LCO Program Notes – Revised
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 2nd March 2026The program of the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra on March 14 has expanded and the performance order has been altered. Accordingly, I have updated the notes for the performance. The only new information is the Handel section. Tickets can be purchased here. Copland Appalachian Spring Appalachian Spring was commissioned in 1943 by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge as a…
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Nicolae Herlea
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 23rd February 2026Nicolae Herlea (1927- 2014) was a distinguished Romanian baritone. He was admired for the burnished warmth of his voice, impeccable legato, and aristocratic stage bearing. Though he built a substantial international career, he remained deeply associated with the Romanian operatic tradition and is widely regarded as one of his country’s greatest vocal artists. Herlea studied…
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The Met’s 26-27 Season
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 19th February 2026The Metropolitan Opera officially announced its 2026–27 season today, revealing a scaled-back schedule of 17 productions – the fewest in over 60 years due to ongoing financial constraints. There are also three special events. General Manager Peter Gelb announced he will retire in 2030. He noted that the reduced season is a response to budget…
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LCO Program Notes – March 14, 2026
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 17th February 2026The following are the program notes I wrote for the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra’s March 14 concert. Tickets can be purchased here. Copland Appalachian Spring Appalachian Spring was commissioned in 1943 by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge as a ballet for choreographer Martha Graham. The scenario portrays a young pioneer couple beginning their married life in rural Pennsylvania,…
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The Otello Tenor
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 12th February 2026I recently wrote that the title role in Verdi’s Otello was unique and so difficult to fully realize that it needed a tenor so gifted that the role might belong to a class of its own – The Otello Tenor. The role requires a tenor with the strength of an offensive tackle and the finesse…
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The 25 Best Operas – Part 2
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 5th February 2026Part 1 of this list is here. Aida (Verdi, 1871) was composed to open the new Cairo Opera House. It was written to a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, which in turn was based on a scenario developed by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. Because of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 its sets made in Paris…
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The 25 Best Operas – Part 1
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 3rd February 2026This list grew to such length that I decided to split it into two parts. The first 12 operas discussed are here. The remaining 13 will be in the next post. A few disclaimers before I start my list. This sort of compendium is just for fun. There can be no definitive list of the…
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