Judgment of Midas at Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts
April 1, 2013Events

Judgment of Midas at Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts

Photo courtesy of American Opera Projects Before King Midas got gold fever, he is said to have judged a musical contest between old-school songsmiths Apollo and Pan. We’re not sure whether composer Kamran Ince came to this story through the lore of his ancestors from Turkey (where the contest was said to be held) or because he wanted to take “American Idol” back to its roots. But we are sure this is a knockout idea for an opera, and others agree. Calling the project Judgment of Midas, Ince will turn to his frequent collaborator, Present Music, to premiere the work…

BY Paul Kosidowski

Photo courtesy of American Opera Projects

Before King Midas got gold fever, he is said to have judged a musical contest between old-school songsmiths Apollo and Pan. We’re not sure whether composer Kamran Ince came to this story through the lore of his ancestors from Turkey (where the contest was said to be held) or because he wanted to take “American Idol” back to its roots. But we are sure this is a knockout idea for an opera, and others agree. Calling the project Judgment of Midas, Ince will turn to his frequent collaborator, Present Music, to premiere the work as a semi-staged concert. A collaboration with Milwaukee Opera Theatre, it features nearly 40 performers. Music on a grand operatic scale indeed.

Judgment of Midas (April 12-13). Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts. 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd., 414-271-0711, presentmusic.org.

Paul Kosidowski
Paul Kosidowski is a freelance writer and critic who contributes regularly to Milwaukee Magazine, WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio and national arts magazines. He writes weekly reviews and previews for the Culture Club column. He was literary director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater from 1999-2006. In 2007, he was a fellow with the NEA Theater and Musical Theater Criticism Institute at the University of Southern California. His writing has also appeared in American Theatre magazine, Backstage, The Boston Globe, Theatre Topics, and Isthmus (Madison, Wis.). He has taught theater history, arts criticism and magazine writing at Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

You may also like

  1. 16 Things to Do in Milwaukee This Weekend: May 28-31

    May 27, 2026

  2. Your Guide to Free Summer Concerts Around Milwaukee
  3. A large brewery taproom with long communal tables is filled with families and groups eating, drinking, and socializing, with beer barrels, string lights, and a bar area visible throughout the industrial-style space.

    16 Beer Events Brewing in Milwaukee This Week: May 26-31

    May 26, 2026