I'll keep trying, but my initial reactions are similar to those of Greg
Sandow's review of the performance (with Dawn Upshaw, conducted by Robert
Spano) in the Nov. 5, 2002 Wall Street Journal.

   The piece is far less formal than most classical music....But Mr.
   Golijov doesn't strike me as much of a dramatist. the "Pasion" didn't
   build; one thing simply followed another, and nothing ever seemed
   larger or more important than anything else. The ending seemed too
   small; it wasn't long or deep enough to deliver the consolation it
   seemed to promise. And Mr.  Golijov doesn't quite write strong enough
   tunes. His style allows for them, as does his vision of a dark, Latin,
   populist Christ. But when the tunes came, they didn't burn there way
   into my heart...Most of all, though, there's nothing in the piece
   that's very new....

What have been the reactions of others?

GeneH