James Price

James Levine's is a more recent entry in the realm of Dutchman recordings, and sonically the recording is absolutely stunning, with great attention having been paid to the recording process. The casting for this Metropolitan Opera effort is also uniformly first rate, even in the less grateful roles of the hapless Erik, sung by the impressive Ben Heppner, and the scolding nurse, Mary, sung by Birgitta Svendén. Morris's brooding Dutchman is hard to match on any other available recording, and Deborah Voigt is a ravishing Senta. The chorus work is quite good, though not quite as rich as that heard in the Solti/Chicago recording. Overall, Levine does a workmanlike job of conducting these impressive forces, though there are passages in which his tempi seem to drag. This recording is a must for anyone who needs a completely up to date version of Wagner's first major opera.

Meshell Ndegeocello’s 2nd Blue Note album No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin is a striking homage to the eminent writer and activist James Baldwin to be released on his Centennial: August 2, 2024. Ndegeocello’s transformative music and collaborative spirit ignites this genre-bending work that is at once a musical experience, a church service, a celebration, a testimonial, and a call to action. Co-produced by Meshell and guitarist Chris Bruce, the album also features frequent collaborators Justin Hicks, Kenita Miller-Hicks, Josh Johnson, Jebin Bruni, Abe Rounds, Jake Sherman, and Julius Rodriguez, as well as powerful spoken word performances by poet and activist Staceyann Chin and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hilton Als.