The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Month: November 2019
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* Notes * Before leaving for Ars Minerva's Ermelinda last night, my 5-year-old asked what the opera was about, and seeing that I was at a loss, he cheerfully let me off the hook, saying I could tell him today after I had seen it. Even after the delightful performance, the convoluted narrative is rather difficult…
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* Notes * San Francisco Opera's second performance of Hansel and Gretel (Sasha Cooke and Heidi Stober in Act II pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) yesterday afternoon was a fine introduction to opera for young audiences. The title characters are winsome and powerful singers. Adler Fellow soprano Mary Evelyn Hangley replaced mezzo-soprano Michaela Martens as…
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* Notes * An amusingly spooky production of Hansel and Gretel (Act III pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) opened at San Francisco Opera last night. The cast features many lucid, high voices and the orchestra sounded great. This creepy set is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, and this works surprisingly well — the darkness of the…
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* Notes * A very loud revival of Manon Lescaut opened at San Francisco Opera last night. All the singing was strong, and the orchestra sounded exuberant under the baton of former San Francisco Music Director Nicola Luisotti. My main memory of this production way back in 2006 is of Karita Mattila in the title…
The Opera Tattler 