Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
October 26- November 11 2012: Aïda
April 5-21 2013: Turandot
April 12-28 2013: The Aspern Papers
Only 3 operas next season, down from 6 in 2011-2012. Latonia Moore sings the title role of Aïda, Lise Lindstrom the title role of Turandot, and Susan Graham has her Dallas Opera debut opposite Carol Vaness in Dominick Argento's The Aspern Papers.
That’s sad about the shrinkage of their season, but “The Aspern Papers” is very enticing. I know very little about it but it’s one of my favorite stories.
More and more, with the unveiling of other companies’ seasons, the SFO season looks amazing. I’m excited about most of it, and will probably see “Hoffmann” and “Rigoletto” more than once.
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It is such a shame for Dallas Opera, esp now that they finally have a decent place to perform! I suffered through so many of their opera productions in the old place; many were great productions but just black-hole acoustics. There are many rich people in Dallas, the Dallas Opera management just need to work harder to convert them into opera lovers/donors.
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I’ll echo the other comments. It’s truly sad that the Dallas Opera, formerly one of the leading mid-size/regional opera companies in the country, is down to three productions. That puts TDO in the same league as much smaller and less-sophisticated companies.
If I’m a subscriber or supporter of TDO, I’m not at all pleased or confident about what’s going on. Yet another example of mismanagement in the face of facts.
When they moved into the Winnspear Opera House, TDO dramatically reduced its audience capacity per performance. Yes, Music Hall at Fair Park was a barn but it allowed the company to run four performances and recoup its costs.
Now they have to run at least six performances per production. You have to pay stagehands and the orchestra for all of that extra time. Didn’t the company take that into account?
It’s true they broke ground in 2003 before the recession, but I just have to wonder…
I agree that a 2,200 seat house (while still REALLY big) is preferable to 3,000+ seats. So TDO should have come up with a better way to recoup their costs without canceling productions.
It sends a really bad signal. Plus the artists on next year’s TDO roster aren’t particularly earth-shattering (though the cast of “Aspern Papers” is very strong).
But let’s look at “Aspern Papers.” Why on earth would a company in such dire financial straits build a new production of a work that has never caught on in the United States? Does Dallas really love it that much? It makes no sense.
Better to take that money and mount two revivals or rented productions and give the company a beefier look. Heck, mount a “Boheme” or “Carmen” of younger (and cheaper) singers.
It makes me thankful to have SFO. Yes I’m sad they’ve reduced their season to eight operas (I can remember twelve). But fair play to David Gockley, he engaged world-class singers like Natalie Dessay, Patricia Racette, Angela Gheorghiu, Ben Heppner (assuming he actually shows up and in voice), Joyce Di Donato, Camila Nylund, Zeljko Lucic. He’s mounting new productions (originating in SF or co-productions).
That generates buzz. It gets reviewers to come. But Dallas seems to be throwing in the towel.
Dallas Opera needs to really think about what it’s doing or it will be out of business. And for a city of Dallas’s size to have such an anemic company (or no company) would be a massive embarrassment.
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Antonello Palombi will sing the roles of Radames and Calaf in the same season? This is really strange. I wonder how a company in financial hazard imports a mediocre italian tenor for two productions when there are lots of American tenors at least of the same level or better than Palombi.
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I am tempted by The Aspern Papers, but since Merola is doing an Argento piece this summer, will hear that first to decide if it is worth going to Texas in this case.
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It is alarming, and I hope they are able to have a fuller 2013-2014 season.
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Just really hoping Dallas Opera doesn’t go the way of Opera Boston.
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Good point, that is very strange.
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Wonderful idea, OT. I will do the same and check out the Merola performance over the summer.
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