I went to New York for a day to attend the season opening of New York City Opera (NYCO). You may know that I was briefly involved with the company before coming to the COC. It is always good to catch up with my old colleagues and I was really happy with the great performance of A Quiet Place they pulled off yesterday night.

Leonard Bernstein's last opera wasn't well received by the U.S.critics when it was first performed at Houston Grand Opera in 1983. Yesterday's opening was the piece's first performance in New York, but also felt like the rehabilitation of an important American opera, certainly helped by Christopher Alden's brilliant production (to me, he is the most important American director of our time) and an impeccable cast that included our great Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins, conducted by the young Jayce Ogren.

NYCO has done a wonderful job with this important production of a major piece. If you happen to be in New York, the production runs until November 21.

I am at Newark Airport waiting for my flight to Toronto in order to be back for a noon Board meeting and tonight's performance of Death in Venice.