The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

Month: March 2009

  • La Monnaie’s 2009-2010 Season

    September 8-27 2009: Semele October 20- November 3 2009: The Rake's Progress December 1-22 2009: Iphigénie en Aulide December 1-22 2009: Iphigénie en Tauride  January 19- February 4 2010: Elektra March 15-20 2010: Ismène March 16- April 3 2010: Idomeneo April 11-13 2010: Medea May 4-16 2010: Don Quichotte June 11-30 2010: Macbeth De Munt (La Monnaie)…

  • Schiff plays Beethoven Piano Sonatas 27-29

    * Notes * András Schiff performed his penultimate recital in his two-year cycle of Beethoven Piano Sonatas yesterday evening at Davies Hall. He played with a great intensity, with a beautiful legato without being overly luxuriant. By the time he got to his two encores, Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor and Mozart's Gigue in…

  • ERSO at Cal Performances

    * Notes * The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra performed in Berkeley yesterday afternoon as the final concert in a tour of the United States. The rather large orchestra, conducted by Eri Klas, displayed a fine control during Pärt's Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten. Likewise, the quiet parts of Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 in D major were played…

  • The Tallis Scholars sing Mouton, Praetorius, & Lassus

    * Notes * The Tallis Scholars performed an incredible concert at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley an last night. Lead by Peter Phillips, the 10 singers produced a pure but almost palpable sound. Their volume was strong, though it helps that the venue has such good acoustics. The program featured composers of the Renaissance polyphony,…

  • PBO’s Wind and Waves

    * Notes * Philharmonia Baroque gave an excellent concert last night in San Francisco. Their sound tends toward the clean and fastidious. The evening began with Francesco Maria Veracini's light, elegant Overture No. 6 in G minor followed by the jaunty Concerto a più instrumenti, Op. 5, No. 3 from Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco. Vivaldi's Concerto in…

  • David Daniels and The English Concert

    * Notes * Countertenor David Daniels is currently on tour with the English Concert, to promote his latest recording with that ensemble. The first half of evening was devoted to Bach, starting off with Harry Bicket leading the English Concert in the Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major. They played primly, but not dispassionately. Daniels sang a…

  • 2009 George London Award Winners

    Merolina Amanda Majeski, current Adler Heidi Melton, and former Adler Sean Panikkar have each received the George London Award this year. Official Site | SF Opera Press Release [PDF]

  • Ashkenazy conducts SFS

    * Notes * Last night Vladimir Ashkenazy conducted San Francisco Symphony in the world premiere of Steven Gerber's Music in Dark Times. The piece was commissioned by Ashkenazy and also dedicated to him.The fanfares of the first and last movements did not show off the brass to their best advantage, though the woodwinds sounded beautiful in the second movement.…

  • Bishop Allen at the Rickshaw Stop

    * Notes * The indie rock band Bishop Allen played yesterday at the Rickshaw Stop as part of their tour to promote their latest album. The music was blithe and cheery. They certainly were cute, as were the band that opened for them, Miniature Tigers. The venue at hand is quite close to both the opera and…

  • Chicago Opera Theater’s 2010 Season

    April 17-25 2010: Mosè in Egitto April 24- May 2 2010: Giasone  May 8-16 2010: Three Decembers Official Site | 2010 Season