THE OPERA’S OPENED: The Dallas Opera opened its season over the weekend with Aida, Verdi’s tale of divided loyalties in the ancient world. And the singer in the title role has the reviewers raving. “Houston-born, UNT-trained soprano Latonia Moore, a rising star who has already triumphed as Aida at Covent Garden and at the Met, simply astounded with a voice that was equally powerful—and clearly capable of subtle effect—from top to bottom,” Wayne Lee Gay writes on Front Row. “Moore was transcendent,” Gregory Sullivan Isaacs writes on theaterjones.com. “All of the red carpet folderol that accompanies the opening of the opera season pales with the memory of her performance. ” But there was one dissenter. “She commands an impressive instrument, with a blazing top although some softness of focus below,” Scott Cantrell writes on dallasnews.com. “It’s too bad her notion of ‘art’ too often involves oozing around pitches à la Renée Fleming, and somehow I missed the magic that advance reports had me expecting.” Your next chance to see Aida comes Wednesday.

IN THE BEGINNING: When you know you’re going to be sitting in your theater seat for the next two hours, it’s nice when the show opens with a bang, right? But how exactly is that accomplished from the playwright’s perspective? The New York Times asked six leading playwrights how they get their hooks in the audience from the very beginning, and their answers are instructive to anyone with the writing bug.

DOMA 2012: The Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase happens on Nov. 10 at a multitude of venues. Curious as to where your favorite up-and-coming band is playing? The complete schedule for each venue is now up.