The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

  • SF Opera’s Barbiere (Camarena, Corbelli, Meachem, Leonard)

    Sf-opera-barbiere-act2-2013* Notes * 
    Last night a co-production of Il barbiere di Siviglia (Act II pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) with Lithuanian National Opera opened at San Francisco Opera. Llorenc Corbella's set includes few walls on a raised platform meant to look like either the outside of Bartolo's house, or an interior courtyard, or the inside of the house, depending on the scene. The direction, from Emilio Sagi, has charm but is rather busy.

    The orchestra sounded clear and fleet under Giuseppe Finzi. There were a few moments that were a little too loud, but not many. The oboe and clarinet were particularly fine. The chorus also sounded strong and together.

    It is nice to hear Ao Li on the main stage, even if only in the small role of Fiorello. A.J. Glueckert is funny as Ambrogio and works well with Catherine Cook's hearty Berta. Likewise Andrea Silvestrelli is a rich-toned Don Basilio.

    Alessandro Corbelli is a more than competent Doctor Bartolo, his patter is impressive. Lucas Meachem has perfect comic timing and a robust voice. Isabel Leonard makes for an attractive Rosina, her voice is dusky but has a lightness. Her "Una voce poco fa" was a bit too stately, but the audience liked her very much. Javier Camarena is a sweet-voiced Almaviva. His legato is lovely, and his sound as a certain open quality that is appealing.

    * Tattling * 
    Standing room attendance was sparse, I purchased my ticket at 6:20pm and had Standing Room Ticket 16.

    There were only a few late-comers on the Balcony Level, and only one of them had a mobile phone that chimed once, during some Act I recitative.

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  • Wispelwey Plays Bach Cello Suites

    Sfp-wispelwey* Notes * 
    Pieter Wispelwey performed Bach’s Complete Suites for Unaccompanied Cello last Saturday at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, San Francisco. His playing is focused, rapid, and crisp. The phrasing and inflection of the notes was idiosyncratic, and one could never mistake Wispelwey’s playing with someone else’s. Though one would be hard pressed to call his sound beautiful, his interpretations were far from boring and the audience, especially for the afternoon performance of the first three suites, seemed captivated. Wispelwey played the Praeludium from Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 as the encore for the evening performance.

    * Tattling * 
    Though two couples I sat in front of for the second performance in Row K Seats 14-20 were annoyingly loud during the music, I was glad to speak to the man next to me in Row J Seat 20, who absolutely loves the pieces and had recommendations for various recordings of them. He suggested the performers János Starker, Anner Bylsma, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Pablo Casals, at least, to start.

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  • Philippe Sly’s Salon at the Rex

    Sly2* Notes *
    Bass-baritone Philippe Sly (pictured left, photograph by Adam Scotti) gave a recital with guitarist John Charles Britton for the Salons at the Rex series Wednesday evening. The evening's music consisted of fifteen Schubert Lieder, including ones from Die schöne Müllerin and Winterreise. Instead of providing the text in the program, Sly read translations of each before singing. The guitar arrangements were done by Britton himself, some worked better than others, since the instrument is so different from piano. The quietness of guitar is quite lovely in a salon setting. Sly's voice is youthfully exuberant, but he has control of his volume and is able to scale it down for a small room. "Du bist die Ruh" was particularly lovely. The encore was Chanson romanesque from Ravel's Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, which Sly sang with much vim and perhaps sounded best with Britton's guitar.

    * Tattling *
    Nearly every seat was taken, and I felt quite lucky to have gotten a ticket for the performance. A mobile phone rang while Sly was reading one of the translations, but otherwise there were few disturbances to the music.

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  • Luisotti Conducts Verdi’s Requiem

    Luisotti-baton* Notes * 
    Last night Nicola Luisotti conducted Verdi's Messa da Requiem at the War Memorial Opera House with the combined orchestras and choruses of Real Teatro di San Carlo and San Francisco Opera. The volume was occasionally deafening, especially the repeated part when the chorus sings "Dies irae" and the trumpets play. The piece felt a bit chaotic, but there were lovely moments, as with the bassoons.

    The soloists had to sing with a lot of power to be heard. Vitalij Kowaljow sounded grave and authoritative. Michael Fabiano was strong and bright. Margaret Mezzacappa's voice could have been richer, she sounds rather soprano-like in this work. Leah Crocetto sounded celestial and well-supported, and sang beautifully with the chorus in the "Libera me."

    * Tattling * 
    The War Memorial was completely full; the stage, seats, and standing room areas seemed at capacity. The mayor of San Francisco, Edwin Lee, gave a halting speech before the performance, while Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris gave a more fluid one, translated by the Consul General of Italy, San Francisco, Mauro Battocchi. Someone in one of the choruses took a flash photograph of the scene.

    The audience on the orchestra level was rather silent and still. The ushers, who had no place to sit, felt it was appropriate to talk to each other during the music.

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  • SF Opera’s Holländer Media Round-Up


    Sf-opera-dutchman-chorus-2013Production Web Site | SF Opera’s Blog

    Reviewers agree that the chorus is strong in San Francisco Opera’s Der fliegende Holländer (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 Der Fliegende Holländer

    Sf-opera-hollaender-act-3-2013* Notes * 
    A co-production of Der fliegende Holländer (Greer Grimsley as the Dutchman and Lise Lindstrom as Senta pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) with Opéra Royal de Wallonie opened yesterday at San Francisco Opera.

    Petrika Ionesco designed the set and was to have directed as well, but it seems that he was asked to leave, and as I understand it, the whole thing was re-staged in the last week or so. The result is rather tame, and does not include space ships, planets, and aliens that one may have heard about or even hoped for. More importantly, the cast is quite strong and the playing is clear and smooth. Maestro Patrick Summers was characteristically able in in his conducting, keeping the orchestra at an even clip and a sensible volume. The chorus sounded nice.

    A.J. Glueckert made for a fine Steuermann, his voice is bright and unstrained. Ian Storey sounded pained as Erik. Kristinn Sigmundsson seemed an ideal Daland, singing with much warmth. Lise Lindstrom's San Francisco Opera debut went splendidly. Her Senta is sympathetic, her voice conveys emotion without being ugly. Likewise, Greer Grimsley sang the title role with feeling. He seemed tortured as appropriate for the Holländer, but his voice did not sound overtaxed.

    * Tattling * 
    Standing room attendance more robust than for Falstaff. I arrived a bit after 7pm and had Standing Room Ticket 59.

    The last row of the balcony was more or less empty, so a middle-aged woman in a short skirt climbed over from the second to last row to place herself unfortunately close to me. This revolting person ate some sort of Patina treat in cellophane during Act II, flicking the crumbs onto the floor. She took off her boots and placed her stockinged feet on an empty seat in front of her.

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  • Lisette Oropesa Replaces Heidi Stober


    Oropesa_Matthew MurphySoprano Lisette Oropesa (pictured left, photograph by Matthew Murphy) will replace Heidi Stober as Nannetta in Falstaff on October 15, 2013. Stober is ill but expects to recover by the October 20 performance.

    Production Web Site | San Francisco Opera Press Releases

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  • SF Opera’s Falstaff Media Round-Up


    Sf-opera-falstaff-act-ii-2013Production Web Site | SF Opera's Blog

    So far, the reviews of San Francisco Opera's Falstaff (Act II pictured left photograph by Cory Weaver) are positive.

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

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  • Lise Lindstrom’s SF Opera Debut


    LINDSTROM-Lise-2013Soprano Lise Lindstrom (pictured left) will have her San Francisco Opera debut as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer, which opens on October 22, 2013. Lindstrom replaces Petra Maria Schnitzer, who has withdrawn from the production for health reasons.

    Production Web Site | San Francisco Opera Press Release

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  • SF Opera’s Falstaff


    Falstaff-terfel-arteta * Notes *     
    Lyric Opera of Chicago‘s current production of Falstaff (Act II, Scene 2 pictured left with Ainhoa Arteta as Alice Ford and Bryn Terfel as Sir John Falstaff, photograph by Cory Weaver) had an opening performance at San Francisco Opera yesterday. The set, from Frank Philipp Schlössmann, is a bit like a pop-up book made of wood. The pauses between scenes are fairly minimal. Maestro Nicola Luisotti had the orchestra sounding robust and lush. There were times when the singing was lost, this was especially evident at the end of Act I, when the male and female ensembles share the stage.

    There was much fine singing all around. Joel Sorensen is a hysterical, mincing Dr. Caius. Greg Fedderly (Bardolfo) and
    Andrea Silvestrelli (Pistola) sounded great and are wonderful actors. Fabio Capitanucci had some nice moments as Ford, though his voice occasionally was overwhelmed by the orchestra. Francesco Demuro sounded reedy and youthful as Fenton, and only had a bit of strain in some of his higher notes.

    Renée Rapier is a charming Meg Page, and Meredith Arwady a very funny and rich-voiced Dame Quickly. Heidi Stober is perfectly adorable as Nanetta and sings with a warm brightness. Ainhoa Arteta sparkled as Alice Ford, her icy, brilliant voice is never harsh.

    Despite the rather even cast, Bryn Terfel is the clear star of the show. Not only did he embody the title character in all his movements, but his voice is simply a marvel. He sang with velvety warmth but also buoyant lightness when appropriate.

    * Tattling * 
    Standing room attendance was sparse. I arrived at 7:15pm and had Standing Room Ticket 19.

    There was much use of mobile phones during the pauses between scenes. It seems that young people do not take the announcement to turn off electronic devices seriously. That said, I did not hear any rings or alerts at the back of the balcony.

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