The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Month: August 2009
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Riccardo Muti is to become chief conductor of Teatro dell' Opera di Roma at the end of 2010. AP Article | Official Site
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* Notes * Soprano Tracy Dahl and pianist Mark Morash gave a small private recital to benefit the Merola Opera Program last night at Metropolitan Club in San Francisco. Apparently both were Merolini in the eighties, and both now train young singers and pianists themselves at the program. The evening started with an alternate aria for Le Nozze di Figaro…
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Angela Gheorghiu has canceled 6 of her 8 scheduled performances of Carmen at the Met during the 2009-2010 season. Mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča will sing in Gheorghiu's stead. Arts Beat Blog | Official Site
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Anna Netrebko has canceled her performances of La Traviata at the Met during the 2010-2011 season. She will be replaced by soprano Marina Poplavskaya. AP Article | Official Site
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* Notes * Festival Opera‘s production of Faust opened last Saturday at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. The orchestra, under Michael Morgan, sounded jaunty all evening long, though there were some issues with the horns. The chorus did not fare quite as well, at times they lacked confidence, particularly the men’s chorus in…
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Seattle Opera is presenting Tristan und Isolde next summer from July 31 through August 21, 2010. Asher Fisch will conduct, Peter Kazaras will stage direct, Robert Israel will design both sets and costumes, and Duane Schuler will be on lighting. Swedish soprano Annalena Persson will make her United States debut as Isolde, with tenor Clifton…
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* Notes * The Merola Opera Program's production of Così fan tutte opened at the Cowell Theater last Friday. The singing was fine, though mezzo-soprano Caitlin Mathes stood out as Despina, her voice was almost too sweet for that comic role. She was very funny when pretending to be a notary, affecting an outrageous accent. For…
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The casting for the Merola Grand Finale was announced today. The performance, staged by Fernando Parra Bortí, is to take place August 22, and will be conducted by Antony Walker. Pagliacci Tonio: Aleksey Bogdanov Die Entführung aus dem Serail Belmonte: Alex Mansoori / Eleazar Rodríguez Osmin: Benjamin LeClair MignonMignon: Ellie Jarrett Lothario: Evan Boyer Giulio Cesare Cornelia:…
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San Francisco Opera and Classical 102.2 KDFC are having a competition for who is to sing the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the simulcast of Il Trovatore this September. Video submissions can be uploaded to KDFC's Web site from August 10-17, and listener voting will begin the week of August 24. The three finalists will be judged…
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Dede Wilsey has resigned from the San Francisco Arts Commission. Wilsey is on the board of the San Francisco Opera, and among other things, provides the flowers in the hall each opening night. SF Chronicle | SF Examiner
The Opera Tattler 