Lisa Hirsch

Lisa Hirsch is a Bay Area music writer. She studied music at Brandeis and Stony Brook and blogs about classical music and opera at Iron Tongue of Midnight.

Articles By This Author

Lisa Hirsch - October 28, 2025

Richard Wagner’s symbol-laden drama becomes human in the company’s subtle, dramatically keen production.

Lisa Hirsch - October 21, 2025

The conductor enters the fifth year of her tenure after a string of successes with Wagner and Verdi.

Lisa Hirsch - October 17, 2025

Three retired musicians share their journeys to new careers.

Lisa Hirsch - September 30, 2025

Avery Boettcher shines as the opera’s tragic protagonist, but middling results from her counterparts weigh down the production.

Lisa Hirsch - September 29, 2025

The former S.F. Opera music director triumphed in music by Berg and Mahler.

Lisa Hirsch - September 16, 2025

Taking advantage of Mozart’s ambiguous final scene, Opera San José lets the audience vote on how the opera ends.

Lisa Hirsch - September 14, 2025

While the recently revived 20th-century opera might be an archival accomplishment, a new recording falls slightly flat.

Lisa Hirsch - September 8, 2025

The orchestra and the SF Opera and SF Ballet Orchestras bring in fresh talent to fill out their ranks.

Lisa Hirsch - August 26, 2025

From fox-women folktales to Black Mirror dystopia, five vivid orchestral works showcase Li's adventurous and emotional approach.

Lisa Hirsch - August 19, 2025

The program’s apprentice singers showed their range in a celebratory season closer.