The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Month: September 2013
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* Notes * William Kentridge's 2010 production of The Nose (pictured left, photograph by Ken Howard) at the Metropolitan Opera was revived on Saturday afternoon. The matinée performance was an utter delight. The combination of music, singing, animation, set, and choreography all came together wonderfully. Performed without an intermission, the intensity of the proceedings is impressive.…
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* Notes * West Edge Opera performed Vanessa (Marie Plette as Vanessa and Nikola Printz as Erika pictured left, photograph by Jeremy Knight) last weekend on Berkeley Repertory Theatre‘s Thrust Stage. The space is quite intimate and this gave the performances a special sort of immediacy. Musically, this was gratifying, but seeing the safety pins…
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Production Web Site | SF Opera's Blog So far, the reviews of San Francisco Opera's Dolores Claiborne (Patricia Racette as Dolores Claiborne on the Little Tall Island ferry pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) are not impressive. Performance Reviews: Financial Times | Los Angeles Times | New York Times | San Francisco Chronicle (Racette) |…
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* Notes * Tobias Picker’s Dolores Claiborne (Act I Scene 3 pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) had a world premiere at San Francisco Opera on Wednesday night. The opera is compelling. The narrative, based on Stephen King’s novel, is rather dark. Picker’s music is ornate, there are many twists and turns in the musical line,…
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* Notes * The final dress rehearsal of San Francisco Opera‘s Dolores Claiborne (Patricia Racette as Dolores Claiborne pictured left, photograph by Scott Wall) was held this afternoon at the War Memorial Opera House. The pacing of Tobias Picker’s music is good, the drama does not lag, and J.D. McClatchy’s libretto is much less clumsy…
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San Francisco Opera has some new staff members, including Human Resources Director Randy Kyle, Chief Information Officer Jarrod Bell, Technical Director Erik Walstad, Resident Lighting Designer Gary Marder, and Assistant Technical Director Ryan O’Steen. San Francisco Opera Press Releases
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* Notes * Robert Carsen’s 1989 production of Mefistofele (Act II pictured left with Ildar Abdrazakov as Mefistofele and the San Francisco Opera Chorus, photograph by Cory Weaver) opened the 91st season of San Francisco Opera last night. The opera is rather droll, and Carsen’s treatment is bursting with color and activity. The scenes do not…