* Notes * A staged production of Alcina (Nikola Printz and Courtney Miller pictured, photograph by Stefan Cohen) opened at Festival Opera in Walnut Creek on Friday evening. The singers were all perfectly cast and the playing clean and neat The Hofmann Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts is a good fit for…

* Notes * An impressive revival of Elektra (pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) opened at San Francisco Opera on Sunday afternoon. The orchestra sounded lush but clear under the baton of Maestra Eun Sun Kim and the singing was stellar. The opera is situated in a museum of Ancient Greek artifacts juxtaposed with different scenes…

* Notes * The Barber of Seville (finale pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) was performed for the third time this summer at San Francisco Opera. It was fascinating to hear the first cast, which I missed last week. The singers are so different and it is such a joy to hear the various interpretations of…