The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

Month: May 2009

  • Runnicles conducts Verdi’s Requiem

    * Notes * Last night Donald Runnicles conducted a performance of Verdi's Requiem at San Francisco Opera. Both the orchestra and the chorus were in fine form. The woodwinds sounded particularly lovely, and the brass was quite clear. There were only a few poor moments in the "Agnes Dei" and the "Libera me." The soloists all…

  • San Diego Opera Layoffs

    San Diego Opera reportedly laid off 8 employees. The Daily Transcript (Subscription Only) | Official Site

  • Heidi Melton News

    Adler Fellow Heidi Melton will sing in San Francisco Opera‘s performance of the Verdi Requiem tomorrow. She replaces an ailing Patricia Racette. San Francisco Opera’s Press Releases | Official Site

  • Michelle DeYoung and MTT at SFS

    * Notes * San Francisco Symphony's Schubert/Berg Festival, entitled Dawn to Twilight, began yesterday evening with a performance of the Schubert's Rosamunde Overture. The playing was sloppy, and the entrance of the winds was rather poor. The brass sounded brash, as usual. Things picked up with Berg's Sieben frühe Lieder, as the soloist, mezzo-soprano Michelle…

  • Runnicles in the Chronicle

    The departing music director of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles, is featured in this article from Joshua Kosman. He conducts Verdi's Requiem this Friday, and La Traviata next month, both at the War Memorial. Article in the Chronicle | Official Site

  • La Scala’s 2009-2010 Season

    December 7-23 2009: Carmen January 15- February 5 2010: Rigoletto January 30- February 14 2010: Don Giovanni February 28- March 16 2010: From the House of the Dead March 17- April 2 2010: Tannhäuser April 6-30 2010: Lulu April 16- May 7 2010: Simon Boccanegra May 13-29 2010: Das Rheingold June 18- July 5 2010:…

  • MTT Withdraws from Iolanthe

    Michael Tilson Thomas is no longer conducting SF Symphony's performances of Iolanthe. George Manahan shall conduct instead, with Joyce Castle replacing Felicity Palmer as Queen of the Fairies. Sasha Cooke sings the title role, former Merolina Joélle Harvey sings Leila, and former Adler Fellow Lucas Meachem sings Strephon. Event Details | Press Release [PDF]

  • Peter Pastreich News

    Peter Pastreich has been appointed the executive director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. He takes up the position on June 1, 2009. Press Release [PDF] | Official Site | Background from IToM

  • Matías Tarnopolsky News

    Matías Tarnopolsky has been appointed the next director of Cal Performances. Press Release | Official Site

  • Alexander Pereira News

    Alexander Pereira is to become the next artistic director of the Salzburg Festival. He takes over from Jürgen Flimm in 2011, and Andreas Homoki takes over Pereira's current position at the Zurich Opera House. Bloomberg Article [PDF] | Salzburg Festival