This was my first time to the Esperanza Center in North Philadelphia and I was looking forward to a concert that included a number of familiar musicians and a Latino theme.  The theater was comfortable but the extremely dry acoustic of the room was better suited for movies or small groups of amplified musicians.  An…

My jaw dropped as I entered the mansion that the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts calls home on Spruce Street.  It's a beautiful building with prodigious amounts of carved woodwork and fantastic stained glass.  The wood paneled hallway lead to the Helen Corning Warden Theater with it's massive fireplace,…

I've always favored classical instrumentals over vocals but in an effort to broaden my horizons and make sure I reach out to all classical music organizations, I've attended a few concerts emphasizing vocals.  I topped this off Friday night by attending my first opera.  The rarely performed Oberto by Verdi will end…