The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

Month: June 2018

  • SF Opera’s Ring Media Round-Up

    SF Opera's Ring Site | Production Web Site Reviews of San Francisco Opera's Der Ring Des Nibelungen (Scene 4 of Das Rheingold pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) are trickling in. Cycle Reviews: San Francisco Examiner | The Mercury News | San Francisco Classical Voice | Berkeley Daily Planet Götterdämmerung Reviews: San Francisco Chronicle | Not…

  • SF Opera’s Götterdämmerung Cycle 1

    * Notes * San Francisco Opera's first Ring cycle this summer came to a glorious end with Götterdämmerung (Act II pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) this evening. The singing was strong and the playing exquisite. Maestro Donald Runnicles had the glittering orchestra sounding better than ever. The tempi are exciting without being rushed. The brass…

  • SF Opera’s Siegfried Cycle 1

    * Notes * San Francisco Opera‘s current Ring cycle continued with beautifully played Siegfried (Act II pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) last night. There was also much fine singing. The orchestra seems more settled than in the previous two performances of the cycle, there were fewer intonation errors in the brass, and the horn solo…

  • Boris Godunov at SFS

    * Notes * The opening of San Francisco Symphony‘s Boris Godunov was a gratifying way to spend the gap day between San Francisco Opera‘s Ring performances. The semi-staged production (Scene 2 pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) from James Darrah is sleek and makes efficient use of the space. Most importantly though, the singing and playing was…

  • SF Opera’s Die Walküre Cycle 1

    * Notes * As with the previous installment of Der Ring des Nibelungen at San Francisco Opera, Die Walküre (Act I pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) has beautiful playing from the orchestra and a powerful cast. Donald Runnicles drove a propulsive performance with very bright and exultant brass. The woodwinds were plaintive, especially the clarinet…

  • SF Opera’s Das Rheingold Cycle 1

    * Notes * An exuberant orchestra and strong cast in Das Rheingold opened a revival of Francesca Zambello's Der Ring Des Nibelungen (Scene 4 pictured, photo by Cory Weaver) last night at San Francisco Opera. It is a joy to hear Maestro Donald Runnicles conduct the orchestra, which sounded driven and robust. The brass, though…

  • Preview of Boris Godunov at SFS

    June is going to be a very opera-heavy month in San Francisco this year, with the return of Der Ring des Nibelungen starting on Tuesday at the War Memorial Opera House. For those intimidated by Wagner's 15-hour epic (or maybe you don't think going to 12 operas in three weeks is enough), San Francisco Symphony…