Back in 2007 when David Carlson’s Anna Karenina premiered in Florida, the reception was generally positive. Here was a meaty operatic subject with a meaty symphonic score (and sumptuous staging). The adaptation of the novel is cleverly done, balancing the Karenin/Vronsky/Anna unhappy triangle on one side, with the Kitty/Levin happy ending on the other. The music itself is grand, symphonic, and rather generic. The prologue instantly reminded me of Danny Elfman’s 1989 score for Batman, and it was a difficult first impression to shake. That is a bit unfair on Carlson; there is a lot to admire in this dramatic, expressive score. For this late 19th-century sound world though, it is woefully short on melodies.

Opera Magazine