The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Month: April 2010
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* Notes * The Conservatory Baroque Ensemble at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music played a recital on Wednesday. The first half of the program featured viola da gamba, both first year and second year students They played Thomas Lupo, William Byrd, Joan Ambrosio Dalza, and a harpsichord joined a bass viol in Bach’s Sonata in…
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* Notes * San Francisco Symphony and Christoph Eschenbach just opened a run of 3 performances of Schumann’s 4th and Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony. The Schumann had a lightness in the beginning, but the woodwinds sounded somewhat muddy in their entrance of the Romanze. The brass also were a bit rough, but improved and sounded rich at…
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July 2- August 26 2010: Madame ButterflyJuly 3- August 27 2010: The Magic FluteJuly 17- August 28 2010: The Tales of HoffmannJuly 24- August 19 2010: Life is a DreamJuly 31- August 25 2010: Albert Herring The 2010 season at Santa Fe Opera opens with Madame Butterfly with Kelly Kaduce singing the title role. Charles…
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* Notes * Soprano Audra McDonald sang Broadway showtunes with her band and San Francisco Symphony last night. Conductor Ted Sperling kept everyone together, and even played piano and sang at different points. The orchestra sounded fine, and looked like they were enjoying themselves. The brass sounded fairly clear, and the woodwinds were especially lovely in…
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* Notes * San Francisco Performances presented a delightful lecture from Alex Ross this morning in San Francisco's Herbst Theatre. The performance included musical examples from pianist Ethan Iverson. We were basically given a tour of 20th century music, Ross would talk about Schoenberg or Stravinsky or Charlie Parker, and then Iverson would play their music…
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* Notes * Jeffrey Kahane is in town to conduct San Francisco Symphony in a program of Mozart and Mendelssohn. Kahane replaces Bernard Labadie, who withdrew due to a scheduling conflict. The evening began with Mozart's Haffner, which was played with a sprightly charm. This was followed with Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, with…
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* Notes * Soprano Leah Crocetto gave her Schwabacher Debut Recital, accompanied by pianist Mark Morash, last Sunday evening. The eclectic program included works from Bellini, Rachmaninoff, Barber, Obradors, Liszt, Gregory Peeples, Gershwin, and Cole Porter. Crocetto sings with an impressive effortlessness. Bellini's Sei Ariette were very beautiful, and Crocetto's phrasing was lovely and fluid. She…
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SopranosJanai Brugger, Chicago, IllinoisRebecca Davis, Naperville, IllinoisValentina Fleer, Moscow, RussiaHye Jung Lee, Seoul, Republic of KoreaAbigail Santos Villalobos, Ciales, Puerto RicoNadine Sierra, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Mezzo-sopranosColleen Brooks, Platteville, WisconsinRobyn Flynn, Orlando, FloridaRenee Rapier, Marion, Iowa TenorsAlexander Lewis, Sydney, AustraliaDaniel Montenegro, Santa Ana, CaliforniaKevin Ray, Cornwall, New YorkEleazar Rodríguez, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico BaritonesBenjamin Covey, Mallorytown,…
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* Notes * The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra came to San Francisco for two performances at Davies Hall, the first of which occurred yesterday evening. David Robertson had the musicians well in hand, they seemed entirely together and produced a gorgeous, clear sound. The performance started with Christopher Rouse's Rapture, which has an apt title and…
The Opera Tattler 