The New Criterion December 2008 http://www.newcriterion.com/ en-us Copyright 2008, TheNewCriterion.com. All Rights Reserved info@ecomsolutions.net info@ecomsolutions.net Freedom imperilled http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Freedom-imperilled-3953 On democratic despotism. Opera in New York: RIP? http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Opera-in-New-York--RIP--3954 On Gérard Mortier and the City Opera. Homage at the Metropolitan http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Homage-at-the-Metropolitan-3955 On “The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Karen Wilkin To a chickadee in winter http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/To-a-chickadee-in-winter-3956 Eric Ormsby Battle of Wills http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Battle-of-Wills-3957 On What the Gospels Meant & Martial s Epigrams: A Selection by Garry Wills. Joseph Bottum American art: the authorized version http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/American-art--the-authorized-version-3958 On American Encounters: Art, History, and Cultural Identity, by Angela L. Miller, Janet C. Berlo, Bryan Wolf, and Jennifer L. Roberts. Michael J. Lewis Roberto Longhi remembered http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Roberto-Longhi-remembered-3959 On the Italian art critic and scholar. Marco Grassi Bernini & Houdon http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Bernini---Houdon-3960 On Bernini and the Birth of Baroque Portrait Sculpture & Houdon at the Louvre. Eric Gibson Shock & awe http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Shock---awe-3961 On Red Bird by Mary Oliver, Ours by Cole Swensen, Letters to a Stranger by Thomas James, Warhorses by Yusef Komunyakaa, Figure Studies by Claudia Emerson, One Secret Thing by Sharon Olds. William Logan Bacon s theater of the absurd http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Bacon-s-theater-of-the-absurd-3962 On Francis Bacon at the Tate Britain, London. David Yezzi Made in China http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Made-in-China-3963 On Zhang Huan & contemporary art in China. James Panero Exhibition note http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Exhibition-note-3964 On George Tooker: A Retrospective at The National Academy, New York. Mario Naves More is less http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/More-is-less-3965 On A Man for All Seasons at the American Airlines Theatre, and To Be or Not to Be at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, and Romantic Poetry at City Center. Brooke Allen In from the cold http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/In-from-the-cold-3966 On Cold War Modern: Design 1945–1970 at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Christie Davies Exhibition note http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Exhibition-note-3967 On Oceans, Rivers & Skies: Anselm Adams, Robert Adams & Alfred Stieglitz at the National Gallery of Art, Washington. Nola Tully New York chronicle http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/New-York-chronicle-3968 On Menahem Pressler & Richard Stoltzman at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, James Levine & the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall,Lucia di Lammermoor, Madama Butterfly & Doctor Atomic at the Metropolitan Opera, and Lang Lang with the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Jay Nordlinger The history of an election http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/The-history-of-an-election-3969 On Senator Obama s victory. James Bowman Pitch highly strung http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Pitch-highly-strung-3970 On the collected critical writings of Geoffrey Hill. Paul Dean A man of imagination http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/A-man-of-imagination-3971 On Benjamin Disraeli by Adam Kirsch Joseph Tartakovsky Ol man author http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Ol--man-author-3972 On The Complete Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein, edited by Amy Asch. Mark Steyn Dem bones http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Dem-bones-3973 On Descartes Bones by Russell Shorto Alec Solomita Honoring the ancestors http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Honoring-the-ancestors-3974 Eric Ormsby Against the logicians http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Against-the-logicians-3975 Eric Ormsby