The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

  • West Edge Opera’s Hydrogen Jukebox

    Hydrogen-jukebox-west-edge-opera-2014* Notes *
    West Edge Opera is currently performing a summer festival at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley. Today was the opening of Philip Glass' chamber opera Hydrogen Jukebox, with text by Allen Ginsberg. The space is not a typical performance venue, but West Edge Opera was able make suitable arrangements nonetheless. Elkhanah Pulitzer's production did not lack for ideas, in fact, the activity on stage seemed ceaseless. It was especially charming when paper airplanes were thrown at the audience, but there were also moments when it may have been more appropriate to take in the words and music without quite so much movement and busyness. The narrator, Howard Swain, was rather energetic.

    For the most part the musicians were above and to the sides of the stage, though conductor David Möschler descended a ladder to play the piano in front of the stage for "Song #6 from Wichita Vortex Sutra." There were times when the balance was slightly off, as when the percussion sounded somewhat anemic in Act I. The singers gave completely committed performances. Tenor Jonathan Blalock sounded sweet and mezzo Nicole Takesono sang prettily. Bass Kenneth Kellogg sounded strong but did not overwhelm. Molly Mahoney (Soprano II) had a nice richness, while the resonances of Sara Duchovnay (Soprano I) were pleasing. Baritone Efrain Solis sang hauntingly. His voice has warmth but was beautifully ethereal at the beginning and ending of the piece.

    * Tattling *
    I managed to snag a front row seat at the last moment and had little to complain about as far as my adjacent audience members are concerned.

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  • Merola’s A Streetcar Named Desire

    Casey Candebat (Harold _Mitch_ Mitchell) and Julie Adams (Blanche DuBois). A Streetcar Named Desire. Merola Opera Program. Photography by Kristen Loken. 2* Notes * 
    André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire was performed Thursday night by the Merola Opera Program at Everett Middle School in San Francisco. The production (pictured left with Julie Adams as Blanche DuBois and Casey Candebat as Harold “Mitch” Mitchell, photograph by Kristen Loken) directed by Jose Maria Condemi, is attractive. The set has two levels and is rather detailed. The costumes are straightforward and pretty. Mark Morash conducted a reduced orchestration by Peter Grunberg. The ensemble sounded rather vigorous.

    There was much beautiful singing, though the first act was somewhat rough. The performances were engaging. Baritone Thomas Gunther was a suitably brutish Stanley Kowalski. Adelaide Boedecker has a lovely sweet voice, and was a believable Stella Kowalski. Casey Candebat sounded great as Harold “Mitch” Mitchell, wonderfully lyrical. Julie Adams makes for an impressive Blanche DuBois. Her voice is well-supported and brilliant. Her acting was also spot-on.

    * Tattling * 
    Any missed lines were all too apparent since the libretto is in English and there were supertitles.

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  • SF Opera’s La Traviata Media Round-Up

    Sf-opera-traviata-act-iiiProduction Web Site | SF Opera's Blog

    Reviewers are not particularly impressed by the first cast of San Francisco Opera's La Traviata (Act II Scene 2 pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver), but find the second one better.

    First Cast: San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Classical Voice | San Jose Mercury News

    Second Cast: San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Classical Voice

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  • SF Opera’s La Traviata (Pérez, Costello, Kelsey)

    Sfopera-traviata-2014-perez* Notes * 
    The second cast of La Traviata (Ailyn Pérez as Violetta and Stephen Costello as Alfredo in Act I pictured left, photograph by Kristen Loken) at San Francisco Opera this season performed last night.

    This performance was presented as a live simulcast. Production Director Greg Weber narrated the set changeover during the first intermission, and took questions via social media with the help of Joey Castaneda. Weber’s reminder to turn off cellular devices after the presentation was much appreciated.

    The change of personnel seemed to be for the better, though one is certain that it did not hurt that this was the seventh performance for most of the musicians. Maestro Giuseppe Finzi kept the orchestra together, but the tempi were still fairly rapid. The woodwinds were especially lovely. The chorus sounded more spirited.

    Quinn Kelsey has a gorgeous voice, and was moving as Germont. Stephen Costello has a strong, open sound as Alfredo. Ailyn Pérez seemed well-suited to the role of Violetta, she was able to sound brilliant yet delicate.

    * Tattling * 
    There were again a large number of latecomers in the balcony. A few young women felt it was fine to look at their mobile telephones in the standing room area.

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  • SF Opera’s Madama Butterfly Media Round-Up

    Sf-opera-butterfly-actiiProduction Web Site | SF Opera's Blog

    Reviewers acknowledge that Patricia Racette's voice has declined in San Francisco Opera's latest Madama Butterfly (Act II pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver), but find the singer's dramatic abilities intact.

    Performance Reviews: San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Classical Voice | San Jose Mercury News

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  • SF Opera’s Madama Butterfly

    Sf-opera-butterfly-acti-2014* Notes * 
    Jun Kaneko's production of Madama Butterfly (Patricia Racette as Cio-Cio-San, Brian Jagde as Pinkerton, and Brian Mulligan as Sharpless in Act I pictured left; photograph by Cory Weaver) had a fifth performance at San Francisco Opera last night. The set and costumes have an elegant guilelessness. The staging, directed by Leslie Swackhamer, is likewise straightforward and makes charming use of four kurogo (stagehands dressed in black).

    Maestro Nicola Luisotti had the orchestra sounding lush and sweeping. The chorus was robust. The casting is rather luxurious. Morris Robinson is a plush-toned Bonze. Brian Mulligan makes for a rich-sounding Sharpless. Elizabeth DeShong (Suzuki) has a startlingly lovely voice. The trio with Sharpless, Suzuki, and Pinkerton in Act II was exceedingly beautiful.

    Brian Jagde is a convincing Pinkerton and he sang well. He has a lot of volume. Sadly, the opera hinges on having a great Butterfly, and Patricia Racette fell short. Her acting is certainly strong, and her voice has a lot of power and emotion. However, her wide vibrato marred the piece's best-loved arias.

    * Tattling * 
    Many people were late and stood in the standing room area on the orchestra level. Someone was upset about not being seated and complained loudly, hurling invectives at the ushers.

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  • Met Cancels Klinghoffer Live in HD

    According to a press release from today the Met has canceled its Live in HD transmission of The Death of Klinghoffer scheduled for this fall. The Met's General Manager, Peter Gelb says "I'm convinced that the opera is not anti-Semitic but I've also become convinced that there is genuine concern in the international Jewish community that the live transmission of The Death of Klinghoffer would be inappropriate at this time of rising anti-Semitism, particularly in Europe."

    Press Release | Production Web Site

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  • SF Opera’s La Traviata (Cabell, Pirgu, Stoyanov)

    Sf-opera-traviata-cabelle-2014* Notes * 
    San Francisco Opera‘s 1987 production of La Traviata (Saimir Pirgu as Alfredo and Nicole Cabell as Violetta in Act I pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) was revived again last night. Originally conceived by John Copley, Laurie Feldman is the director this time. The set, designed by John Conklin, is splendid, as are David Walker’s costumes. Somehow the staging does not cohere, and the high point certainly is the focused flamenco dancing in Act II Scene 2.

    The orchestra sounded sumptuous, though the tempi that Maestro Nicola Luisotti kept were consistently ahead of the singers. The chorus was slightly tepid in the Brindisi. The principal cast features very pretty voices with a lot of volume, yet the effect was curiously flat. Vladimir Stoyanov has a rather strident manner as Germont. Saimir Pirgu has a pleasant, bright warmth as Alfredo, but his singing has an effortful quality. Nicole Cabell (Violetta) sounded gorgeously icy, her voice is beautiful and strong, but somehow she fell short of embodying her character.

    * Tattling * 
    There were many latecomers in the balcony. Some mobile telephones and watch alarms were noted. The sound system made a strange squeak in the second third of the opera.

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  • SF Opera’s Show Boat Media Round-Up

    Show-boat-act-iiProduction Web Site | SF Opera's Blog

    Reviewers are fairly positive about San Francisco Opera's Show Boat (Act II pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver).

    Performance Reviews: San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Classical Voice | San Jose Mercury News

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  • SF Opera’s Show Boat

    Show-boat-act-1* Notes *
    Show Boat (Heidi Stober as Magnolia Hawks, Patricia Racette as Julie La Verne, Angela Renee Simpson as Queenie and Morris Robinson as Joe with chorus in Act I, Scene 2 pictured left; photograph by Cory Weaver) opened at San Francisco Opera today with a matinée performance. The production, directed by Francesca Zambello, is spectacular. Peter J. Davison's set must be characteristic of his style, employing many of the same devices as his Porgy and Bess as far as creating or changing scenes. The costumes are fetching and the choreography sharp. It is delightful to see the San Francisco Opera corps dancers looking so exuberant.

    John DeMain does a wonderful job with the orchestra, and the music sounds fluent and natural. The chorus is mostly fine, though perhaps not precisely on the beat at the beginning of Act II. Harriet Harris is a funny Parthy. Bill Irwin is an elastic Cap'n Andy, his physical comedy is perfect for this role.

    Though one may have been skeptical of Patricia Racette as Julie, as we have heard quite a lot of her this season, she is moving in this, and her vibrato is not bothersome. Angela Renée Simpson sings Queenie with verve, though she was a touch quiet in "Hey, Feller" in Act II. Morris Robinson is incredible as Joe, his dignified voice has such depth and power.

    Michael Todd Simpson makes for an expressive Gaylord Ravenal. Heidi Stober's physicality is impressive, she plays the young Magnolia with sprightliness and is able to capture the maturity of an older woman as the piece progresses. Her accent may not be exact at all times, but her singing is lovely.

    * Tattling *
    Someone sitting on the back bench of the balcony had a noisy mobile phone.

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