The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

  • Den Norske Opera’s 2008-2009 Season

    Newoperahouseoslo

    April 26- May 5 2008: Operafest
    May 29- June 13 2008: Orfeo
    June 16-24 2008: Det Store Bankranet
    August 9-29 2008: Porgy and Bess
    September 20- October 20 2008: Don Carlo
    October 1-5 2008: Melancholia
    October 17-23 2008: Dead Beat Escapement
    October 18- November 20 2008: La Clemenza di Tito
    November 6-8 2008: Jenny
    November 22-24 2008: Thora på Rimol
    December 19 2008- January 19 2009: Die Fledermaus
    January 7-22 2009: Walküre
    March 9-26 2009: Peter Grimes
    April 18-June 20 2009: Carmen
    May 20-28 2009: Pollicino
    May 29- June 18 2009: Elektra

    The Norwegian National Opera was to perform Gisle Kverndokk's Around the World in 80 Days as the first opera in the new house on April 26. Unfortunately, the stage control system for the new house was delivered late, and there was not enough time to train the appropriate parties. Instead they will be presenting a recital with works from various operas, which they have dubbed "Operafest." The opening gala is still set for April 12.

    René Pape is singing Philip II in Don Carlo, and the Carmen production is the one from Covent Garden that is opening at Opera Australia tomorrow.

    2008-2009 Season | New Opera House | Aftenposten Article

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  • Jodhaa Akbar

    Jodhaa * Notes *
    Ashutosh Gowariker's historical epic Jodhaa Akbar was finally released on February 15, after being pushed back four times. The film is doing well at the box office, grossing $2,505,703 so far in North America. Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan give restrained and elegant performances as Mughal emperor and Rajput princess, respectively.

    Filmed in Karjat, the scenes are all rather lavish, like Mughal miniatures come to life. A. R. Rahman's music tended to be heavy-handed and overly-dramatic, though "Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah" was suitably grand, and the choreography was impressive. The battle scenes were considerably less magnificent, though the shots of cannon fire were remarkable. Overall, the movie was extremely beautiful to look at, but the overt moralizing was a bit tiresome. However, it was nice to see a Muslim portrayed in a positive light for a change.

    * Tattling *
    There were quite a lot of people in the theater for a weeknight showing. Many cellular phones rang and were answered. Some children next to me would not stop moving for the 213 minutes of the film, they ran around, fidgeted, and whispered the whole time.

    Jodhaa Akbar was not released in Rajasthan, as some Rajputs protested against the film's historical inaccuracies.

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  • Bayreuth Considers Simulcasting

    The Bayreuther Festspiele is considering broadcasting some of their operas.

    AP Article | Bayreuther Festspiele Official Site

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  • Opera Boston’s 2008-2009 Season

    October 17-21 2008: Der Freischütz
    February 27- March 3 2009: The Nose
    May 1-5 2009: The Bartered Bride

    Opera Boston is certainly not following the herd next season.

    2008-2009 Season | Official Site

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  • Opera Australia on the Big Screen

    Opera Australia is simulcasting their March 12th performance of Carmen into the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House. The Covent Garden production is by Francesca Zambello, Catherine Carby sings the title role, and Rosario La Spina is Don José.

    Tickets | Production | Opera Tattler Review

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  • Sanjay Leela Bhansali Marriage News

    Sanjay Leela Bhansali denies rumors that he is to marry choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant. The director turned 45 last Sunday and says working on the opera Padmâvatî, which opens in a little over a fortnight, has been fun.

    Times of India Article | Official Site

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  • SF Opera’s Cinemacasts Spring 2008

    March 8-11 2008: La Rondine
    March 29- April 1 2008: Samson et Dalila
    April 12-15 2008: Don Giovanni 
    April 19-22 2008: Madama Butterfly

    West Coast Locations (North to South):

    Galaxy
    1 Galaxy Way
    Monroe, WA 98272

    Carmike 12
    1331 N. Center Parkway
    Kennewick, WA 99336

    Carmike 12
    750 NE Circle Boulevard
    Corvalis, OR 97330

    Cinema West
    1241 Main Street
    Fortuna, CA 95540

    Cinema West
    6868 McKinley Street
    Sebastopol, CA 95472

    Cinema West
    Fiesta Plaza Shopping Center
    200 Siesta Way
    Sonoma, CA 95476 

    Cinema West
    Petaluma Blvd. at C Street
    Petaluma, CA 94952

    Cinema West
    1228 S. Main Street
    Angels Camp, CA 95222

    Cinema West
    9 Broadway Boulevard
    Fairfax, CA 94930

    Galaxy
    2525 Patterson Road
    Riverbank, CA 95367

    Cinema West
    2490 First Street
    Livermore, CA 94550

    UltraStar Flower Hill
    2630 Via De La Valle
    Del Mar, CA 92014

    UltraStar Mission Valley
    7510 Hazard Center Drive #100
    San Diego, CA 92108

    The 120 locations do not include Los Angeles, Portland, or Seattle.

    Press Release [PDF] | SF Opera at the Movies | Schedule

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  • Lucas Meachem’s Schwabacher Debut Recital

    Lucasmeachem_2* Notes *
    The Schwabacher Debut Recital Series continued yesterday with baritone Lucas Meachem singing selections from Dvořák's Zigeunermelodien, Poulenc's Chansons Gaillardes, Schumann's Zwölf Lieder, and Copland's Old American Songs. Meachem certainly is amiable, talking to the audience before each set of songs. His singing is vigorous enough to fill a small hall like the Martin Meyer quite well. The recital showed Meachem's dramatic range, he sang each composer's music distinctly, and did not sound like an opera singer when he sang a piece from Disney's Beauty and the Beast as an encore. For the most part his diction was good, though there were a few small missteps. His voice is strong, but perhaps lacks beauty, except in his rendition of Copland's "Long Time Ago," which was lovely.

    * Tattling *
    This time the Schwabacher Recital was competing against the Academy Awards, and the turn out was still good, even General Director David Gockley deigned to attend. Somehow I was recruited to usher in the balcony, where I sat a total of three people, but the main floor looked full. The audience in the balcony certainly was well-behaved. There is definitely something humming in that hall, it is either the lights or the climate control system.

    Lucas Meachem was rather more formally dressed than Philippe Castagner was for the last recital. Meachem wore a black suit with vest and tie, but alarmingly, seemed to keep shedding layers as the evening wore on. Meachem is also an amusing raconteur, the best story was an account of how he met Susan Graham. Paul Groves introduced Meachem to Graham in Paris, and they went out to karaoke. Later when Simon Keenleyside withdrew from Lyric's production of Iphigénie en Tauride, Graham convinced William Mason to hire Meachem, saying she had heard him sing "American contemporary."

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  • Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Winners 2009

    The winners this year are soprano Simone Osborne, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson, mezzo-soprano Daveda Karanas, tenor René Barbera, and baritone Edward Parks.

    Press Release | Reuters Article | Official Site

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  • Blomstedt Conducts Mozart at SFS

    Mozart1789 * Notes *
    Herbert Blomstedt, conductor laureate and former music director of the San Francisco Symphony, is currently conducting an all Mozart program, which includes Divertimento in D major, K.251, Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K.482, and Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K.504, Prague. The last performance is tonight over at Davies Hall. 

    The Divertimento is perfectly light and the orchestra played well. The oboist sounded especially good. Unfortunately, the audience was strikingly ill-behaved, whispering after each movement with absolute voraciousness. They also clapped after the second and fifth movements.

    At least they calmed down for the piano concerto, something about an accomplished soloist was able to command their attention. Jonathan Biss certainly proved virtuosic, his agility is incredible, as his control. He looked a bit bored when waiting to play, as he was fidgeting. When he did come in, he seemed to be racing the orchestra, and at times they were not together. Biss was somewhat theatrical in his movements, but not as extravagant as some. The allegro of the last movement was quite fun, the violins and timpani played particularly well.

    The symphony gave a respectable performance of the Prague. There were a couple times when either the trumpets or horns sounded harsh, but otherwise the playing was fine. The tempi were consistent, and the contrasts between dynamics were not dramatic.

    * Tattling *
    As mentioned before, the audience was uncharacteristically rude, and there were whispers and coughs between every pause. The coughing was flagrant, the worst I have ever heard, but for the most part it was only between movements.     At these times, woman behind me also made some reptilian sounds, I am not sure if these signified disgust or were involuntary tics.

    I heard a watch alarm in the First Tier for the first half of the performance, at the beginning of the first piece, and in the last movement of the second piece. Instead of being the typical two beeps, this alarm just had one sustained note.

    People were enamored by the youth of Mr. Biss, and I overheard more than one person gush about how impressive he is and how very, very young.

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