So says Cleopatra, in the Shakespeare play. Some 350 years after the play was written, Samuel Barber made an opera of it. You want to hear Leontyne Price sing “Give me some music”? Okay: here.

Anyway, I know you can’t live on Iraq, the Castros, and the Republican primary field all day, so I’ll give you some music. Specifically, I’ll give you three reviews published at The New Criterion. They are of performances that took place in Carnegie Hall on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

First, Stephanie Blythe, the American mezzo-soprano, sang a recital (review here). Then, Evgeny Kissin, the Russian-born pianist, played a recital (review here). Finally, the Met Orchestra gave a concert, with James Levine on the podium and Yefim Bronfman serving as piano soloist (here).

Let me leave you with the great excerpt from Barber’s Antony: “Give me my robe” (rather than music). Here’s ’tyne.