The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Month: September 2010
-
General Director Plácido Domingo will not renew his contract with Washington National Opera, which expires on June 30, 2011. Press Release [PDF] | Official Site
-
* Notes * The San Francisco Opera's penultimate performance of Werther this season was held yesterday evening. From balcony standing room, the balances between the singers and the orchestra were better. Emmanuel Villaume did keep the orchestra together, the sound was gleaming and rich. The chorus of children was also lovely. It was apparent that…
-
Production Web Site | Photo Gallery Performance Reviews: AP | Bloomberg | FT.com | The Globe and Mail | Guardian | LA Times | Montreal Gazette | NY Times | Reuters | Wall Street Journal | Telegraph | Toronto Star
-
* Notes * A revival of Le Nozze di Figaro at LA Opera opened this afternoon. Plácido Domingo kept the orchestra at a good clip, though not exactly brisk, the tempi were comfortable. There were many synchronization problems with singers and the orchestra. The bridesmaid duet in Act III went especially awry, either the singers were…
-
Mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick was presented the Merola Distinguished Alumni award this evening at a reception in the Wattis Room of Davies Hall. The 5 past recipients of this award include baritone Thomas Hampson, Maestro Patrick Summers, and sopranos Ruth Ann Swenson, Carol Vaness, and Deborah Voigt. Zajick is currently singing Amneris in San Francisco Opera's Aida.…
-
Production Web Site | Photo Gallery Performance Reviews: Los Angeles Times | The Opera Tattler | Out West Arts | San Francisco Chronicle | Wall Street Journal | Washington Post
-
* Notes * The Los Angeles Opera 2010-2011 season opened with the world premiere of Daniel Catán's Il Postino. The music is lush and ornate, has soaring lyrical lines, and is pretty enough to not scare those wary of new music. Though the action takes place in Italy, and the title is Italian, the libretto…
-
* Notes * San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas returned to Davies Hall with a program of Lou Harrison, Copland, and Tchaikovsky last night. Harrison's rather orientalist A Parade was cheerful and shimmery. The duet between the concertmaster and principal violist was particularly lovely. This was followed by two Copland pieces, the first, Quiet City, featured English…
-
Production Web Site | Press Photographs Interviews of de Niese: The Opera Tattler | SFCV | SFist Performance Reviews: Not For Fun Only | The Opera Tattler | San Francisco Chronicle | SFCV | San Francisco Examiner
-
* Notes * The most recent revival of Le Nozze di Figaro opened last night at San Francisco Opera. Zack Brown's Goya-inspired set is nearly thirty years old, but is perfectly serviceable. Though the scene changes are awkward between acts, everything does look quite nice. The direction from John Copley is thoughtful, he handled the chorus especially…
The Opera Tattler 