Teddy’s triumph

Baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes plays Antony in New York City Opera’s presentation of Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra, in a performance the New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini calls “fervent and sensitive,” “the best case for this opera that I have ever encountered.” Rhodes plays a “husky-voiced, grave yet hopelessly smitten Antony,” in one of City Opera’s only productions of the season. Barber’s work, which has long been considered a weaker piece, was a triumphant reminder of City Opera’s capacity, in which “everyone exuded conviction,” continuing the Opera’s “tradition of championing overlooked works,” and temporarily obscuring the budget cuts and political drama that has recently surrounded the organization.