The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Month: November 2009

  • Ensemble Parallèle’s Wozzeck Preview

    * Notes * A reception and sneak peak of Ensemble Parallèle's forthcoming Wozzeck production was held in a private Richmond District home last night. The musical portion of the evening featured bass-baritone Bojan Knežević, who is singing the title role. Accompanied by Scott Foglesong on piano, he sang Leporello's "Catalogue" Aria from Don Giovanni and…

  • Don Giovanni at Bayerische Staatsoper

    Our correspondent in Germany, Opernphrenologe, was recently in Munich. What follows is a lightly edited review of the new Don Giovanni production that recently opened at Bayerische Staatsoper.    * Notes * The premiere of Don Giovanni, directed by Stephan Kimmig, in München started out badly enough. The curtain opened to reveal a naked old…

  • Opening of Otello at SF Opera

    * Notes * San Francisco Opera's last production of the year, Otello, opened this afternoon. Maestro Luisotti had the orchestra sounding richly fluent. The English horn, bassoon, and bass were particularly lovely. The brass instruments also had some good moments, though when they all played together there sometimes was a buzzing quality to the sound. The…

  • PBO’s Dido and Aeneas in Berkeley

    * Notes * Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra continued a run of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas in Berkeley last night, along with a full program of other works of this composer. The performance set up was different this time, with the orchestra on stage behind the singers. The acoustics are better in this venue, First Congregational Church, than…

  • PBO’s Dido and Aeneas Media Round-Up

    Production Web Site | Press Photographs Interviews of Susan Graham: SFCV | SFist | SF Chronicle | LA Times Performance Reviews: The Opera Tattler | Mercury News | SF Chronicle

  • Confess the Flame her Tongue Denyes

    * Notes * Yesterday in San Francisco, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra performed the first of six performances celebrating Henry Purcell. The evening started with his "O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song," Chacony in G minor, "Hear My Prayer, O Lord," and the Suite from Abdelazer, or The Moor's Revenge. Conducted by Music Director Nicholas McGegan,…

  • Love’s Labour’s Lost at Cal Performances

    * Notes * Shakespeare's Globe Theatre opened a run of Love's Labour's Lost at Cal Performances yesterday. Musicians played in the audience, there were a mere five instrumentalists that played recorder, shawms, dulcian, ocarina, hurdy-gurdy, sackbut, viol, hunting horn, Baroque guitar, theorbo, and percussion. Many of the actors also walked around in the lobby and through the…

  • Aida at SF Opera in 2010

    Mezzo-soprano Tichina Vaughn and baritone Marco Vratogna are scheduled to sing in Aida at San Francisco Opera in Fall of 2010. Luisotti will conduct, and one has heard rumors that Carlo Ventre and Eric Owens are also in the cast. SF Opera's Future Seasons | SF Opera's Official Site

  • Molly Fillmore in Salome

    * Notes * Last Friday Molly Fillmore replaced Nadja Michael as San Francisco Opera‘s penultimate performance of Salome this season. Evidently Michael had a throat infection, and Fillmore had to be flown in from Phoenix. I was not in attendance, but by all accounts, Ms. Fillmore sang well, she was less flat than Michael. However, her acting…

  • New Artistic Director for Berkeley Opera

    Berkeley Opera's new artistic director is Mark Streshinsky. Jonathan Khuner remains the musical director. Berkeley Opera's Official Site | Streshinsky's Official Site