The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Month: May 2016
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* Notes * The second cast of San Francisco Opera's current Carmen (Adam Diegel as Don José and Ginger Costa-Jackson as Carmen in Act II pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) production was performed a day after the first. The production is consistent, and it was impressive to me seeing it this time from Row…
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* Notes * Calixto Bieito’s new production of Carmen (The chorus in Act IV pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) San Francisco Opera marked his US debut last night. Directed here by Joan Anton Rechi, the show was not nearly as shocking as some of Bieito’s work. In fact, the staging was quite deft, and…
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* Notes *Pan Pan Theatre performed a frenetic mash-up version of The Seagull at the San Francisco International Arts Festival last night. Chekhov's dark play of overlapping love triangles, artistic failure, and suicide is not only interspersed with Bach and Tchaikovsky (complete with balletic dancing), but with scenes of cocaine binges and very self-reflexive commentary.…
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* Notes *My preview of opera and classical singing this summer in the Bay Area is up on KQED Arts. * Tattling * In my mind I jokingly titled this piece "It Is All About Boobs and Butts and Dead Babies This Summer in SF." It wouldn't have done at all, especially because I did…
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Tenor Brian Thorsett (pictured left), well known to Bay Area opera fans, got a tenure track assistant professor position at Virginia Tech last year and subsequently moved to across the country. He is, however, still performing in here quite a bit, and will sing in the next Curious Flights concert on May 28 at the…
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* Notes *My review of Ars Minerva's The Amazons in the Fortunate Isles at the Marines' Memorial Theater in San Francisco is up on San Francisco Classical Voice. * Tattling * A couple of francophones behind me in Row F Seats 1 and 2 of the orchestra on had a difficult time not talking throughout…
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I feel obliged to inform you that I am participating in a panel discussion entitled "Social Media, 24 Hour News Cycles and The Future of Reviewing Theatre" presented by the San Francisco International Arts Festival and San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. The event takes place this Thursday at 6pm at the Magic Theatre…
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* Notes *Susan Graham (pictured left, photograph by Dario Acosta) is singing Berlioz's La Mort de Cléopâtre with San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas this weekend. The piece, a replacement for the previously announced Brahms's Alto Rhapsody, is quite suited to Ms. Graham. Her clear high notes and fully developed sound work well with…
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