Charged by his handler, Abu Leila, with finding a secret venue for talks between Israelis and Palestinians, Michel also reads Primo Levi, where he finds dark echoes of what happened to him in Lebanon.

ECONOMIST: A shrewd espionage thriller

Quieter moments had more impact, if only because they came as a relief: a meditative setting of Primo Levi's poem "Passover, " beautifully sung by tenor Russell Thomas (Lazarus), and the haunting music for a trio of countertenors (Daniel Bubeck, Brian Cummings, and Nathan Medley) who narrated the story.

WSJ: Rendered Unto Caesar, Perfectly | 'Giulio Caesare' | Handel | Metropolitan Opera | By Heidi Waleson