One glimpse inside Philadelphia’s Academy of Music and any hint of disappointment that Opera Philadelphia’s latest show was a concert Verdi Requiem rather than a staged theater piece vanished instantly.

The large stage, fitted out with a flattering acoustic shell, was teeming with people—between the orchestra and chorus (and, minutes later, conductor Corrado Rovaris and four soloists), the forces numbered 100-plus. If this was an attempt at economy, it was a pretty luxurious one…

Read the full review at Parterre Box.