The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

Month: January 2008

  • Dallas Opera’s 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 Seasons

    November 14-22 2008: Le Nozze Di FigaroDecember 5-13 2008: Die FledermausJanuary 23-21 2009: Roberto DevereuxFebruary 13-21 2009: La BohèmeMarch 6-14 2009: L'Italiana in Algeri James Valenti is having his Dallas Opera debut as Rodolfo. William Burden is singing Lindoro in L'Italiana in Algeri, in the production San Francisco Opera audiences saw in 2005, directed by…

  • PBO’s Cleopatra Billboard

    Philharmonia Baroque has a billboard on Fifth Street at Harrison, visible from Interstate 80 West. The advertisement features soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in costume as Cleopatra, as she is singing a number of arias in that role in March. Handel's Giulio Cesare, Graun's Cleopatra e Cesare, and Matheson's The Death of Cleopatra. The concert also includes…

  • Washington National Opera’s 2008-2009 Season

    September 13- October 5 2008: La TraviataSeptember 20- October 7 2008: Les Pêcheurs de PerlesNovember 1-17 2008: Lucrezia BorgiaNovember 8-19 2008: CarmenNovember 21- 22 2008: Petite Messe SolennelleMarch 21- April 6 2009: Peter GrimesMay 2-17 2009: SiegfriedMay 16- June 4 2009: Turandot Renée Fleming has her WNO debut in Lucrezia Borgia. Denyce Graves sings the…

  • Standing Room, Rush, and Other Last-Minute Ticket Options for Various Opera Houses

    This is a work in progress, based on my own experiences trying to wrangle tickets. San Francisco Opera: There are 200 standing room tickets for each performance, and 150 of these go on sale at 10 am the day of the performance. The remaining 50 are sold 2 hours before the performance. Tickets are $10, cash…

  • Farewell My Concubine

    * Notes * The Chinese American Inter-Cultural Exchange Foundation presented an adaptation of the Chinese opera Farewell My Concubine this weekend in San Francisco, the start of a six city U.S. tour. The music, by Xiao Bai, initially reminded me of Tigran Chukhadjian's Arshak II, because of the clear Verdi influence, the obvious difference being…

  • Speculation on SF Opera’s 2008-2009 Season

    I've noticed a fair amount of people coming to this blog in search of San Francisco Opera's next season, which will be announced this week. Certainly we have some insight into the programming, Stewart Wallace's The Bonesetter's Daughter will have its world premiere, Qian Yi will be in the lead role with her San Francisco…

  • Macbeth Live in HD Met Simulcast

    * Notes * The Met's simulcast of Macbeth aired today. The production, by Adrian Noble, is new to the Met and opened October 22, 2007. Set after World War II, Mark Thompson's set and costumes are dark, lots of black, grey, olive, khaki. There were many leather jackets and machine guns, Banquo, for example, seemed…

  • Welsh National Opera’s 2008-2009 Season

    September 19- October 11 2008: OtelloSeptember 26- October 9 2008: Il Barbiere di SivigliaFebruary 7-28 2008: Le Nozze di FigaroOctober 8-10 2008: JenůfaFebruary 12-27 2009: L'Elisir d'AmoreFebruary 24-26 2009: SaloméMay 13- June 4 2009: The Queen of SpadesMay 18- June 6 2009: La BohèmeJune 2 2009: Mitridate, Re Di Ponte Rebecca Evans is has her…

  • Washington State Met Live in HD Theaters 2007-2008

    Regal Auburn Stadium 171101 Super Mall Way, Suite 901Auburn, WA 98001 Cinemark Century Federal Way2001 S. CommonsFederal Way, WA 98003 Regal Alderwood Stadium 73501 184th Street SWLynnwood, WA 98037 Cinemark Century Olympia625 Black Lake Blvd. SWOlympia, WA 98512 The Rose Theatre235 Taylor StreetPort Townsend, WA 98368 Regal Bella Botega 11 Cinema8890 NE 161st AvenueRedmond, WA…

  • Oregon Met Live in HD Theaters 2007-2008

    Cinemark Century 16 Cedar Hills Crossing3200 SW Hocken AvenueBeaverton, OR 97005 Regal Old Mill 16680 SW Powerhouse DriveBend, OR 97702 Cinemark Tinseltown USA651 Medford CenterMedford, OR 97501 Regal Lloyd Center 10 Cinema1510 NE Multnomah StreetPortland, OR 97232 Cinemark 172900 GatewaySpringfield, OR 97477