At Madison Symphony, Everyone Is Home for the Holidays

DeMain rounds up his Madison Symphony Christmas community   For 26 years now, John DeMain has put together his “Madison Symphony Christmas” like a time-honored recipe, and it satisfies his guests’ expectations even as he tweaks it with a little bit different spice each time. It’s no mean trick — after all, you have to…

Madison Opera Goes Old School

Some great singing and a traditional approach revive “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci”   It has been more than 30 years since Madison Opera staged that once-ubiquitous double bill of one-act operas, “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci.” That’s nothing—I’ve been attending and listening to opera for a little over half a century, and I never managed to…