The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

Month: February 2009

  • Anne-Sophie Mutter at SFS

    * Notes * Anne-Sophie Mutter gave the US premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina's second violin concerto, In tempus präsens, with San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, yesterday. The piece was played again tonight, and has a shimmering, yet compressive quality, filled with bumblebees and crickets. Mutter played cleanly and with much vigor. The violas,…

  • 2009 Merola Summer Productions

    July 10-12 2009: Schwabacher Summer Concerts July 24-26 2009: L'Amico Fritz August 7-9 2009: Così fan tutteAugust 22 2009: Merola Grand Finale Tickets go on sale for Merola productions to members on March 16, and to the general public on April 1. Events | Official Site

  • The Minnesota Opera’s 2009-2010 Season

    September 26- October 4 2009: Les pêcheurs de perles November 14-22 2009: Casanova's Homecoming January 30- February 7 2010: Roberto Devereux March 6-13 2010: La bohème April 10-24 2010: Salome Isabel Bayrakdarian sings Leïla in the Zandra Rhodes production of Les pêcheurs de perles. 2009-2010 Season | Official Site

  • Gran Teatre del Liceu’s 2009-2010 Season

    October 1-14 2009: L'Arbore di Diana October 2- November 16 2009: Król Roger November 27-28 2009: Hypermusic Prologue December 2-30 2009: Il Trovatore January 23- February 20 2010: Tristan und Isolde March 7-25 2010: La Fille du Régiment April 12-23 2010: Die Entführung aus dem Serail May 10-28 2010: Der Rosenkavalier May 27-29 2010: Les Mamelles de…

  • Cupcake Godunov

    This is the fifth scene from Boris Godunov. Boris, portrayed by Samuel Ramey, has just thrown himself to the ground in an agressive manner. This painting is on display until March 11th at Squat and Gobble in Lower Haight (237 Fillmore), along with several other cupcake opera paintings. Details of Painting | Performance Review of Boris Godunov

  • Cecilia Bartoli at Cal Performances

    * Notes * Cecilia Bartoli is touring to promote her Maria Malibran-themed album, and sang this afternoon in Berkeley. She had a shaky start with Rossini's "La regata veneziana," she was quite wobbly and gasping, though her voice certainly is vibrant. She did better with Bellini, her rendering of "L'abbandono" was poignant and clear. Some…

  • Bluebeard and Erwartung at Seattle Opera

    * Notes * A double-bill of Bluebeard's Castle and Erwartung opened at Seattle Opera this evening. The two works were originally directed by Robert Lepage for the Canadian Opera Company, but were directed by François Racine in Seattle. The Bartók was stunning, though the orchestra was not always perfect under Evan Rogister, the music is compelling and the production…

  • Opera Boston’s 2009-2010 Season

    October 23-27 2009: Tancredi February 26- March 2 2010: Madame White Snake April 30- May 4 2010: La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein Ewa Podleś sings the title role in Tancredi and Stephanie Blythe is La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein. Official Site

  • Wait, Wait in Berkeley

    * Notes * NPR's Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! returned to Cal Performances last night. Host Peter Sagal was as entertaining as ever, as was official judge and scorekeeper Carl Kasell. Kasell was particularly cute when he high-fived panelists Tom Bodett, Paula Poundstone, and Mo Rocca. The show ran long, so for 2 hours instead of 90…

  • Kurt Masur at SFS

    * Notes * Yesterday evening Kurt Masur conducted San Francisco Symphony in a program of Gubaidulina and Bruckner. Gubaidulina's The Light of the End conjured up waves and air, there were parts near the beginning that sounded rather insectile, and parts near the end that were more bird-like. The marimba made for a pleasing earthy contrast with…