The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

  • SF Opera’s Rigoletto (Vratogna/Shagimuratova/Chacon)


    18-Rigoletto* Notes *     
    A second performance of San Francisco Opera's Rigoletto was held on Saturday. The cast had three different members: Marco Vratogna (Rigoletto), Albina Shagimuratova (Gilda), and Arturo Chacón-Cruz (The Duke of Mantua).

    Chacón-Cruz was not consistent, he was rather hard to hear with the chorus in the first scene, but improved in the second two acts. His duet with Shagimuratova in Act I Scene 3 was vexing, it seemed that the singers were not listening to one another, and it hardly seemed they were in love. Shagimuratova's voice often did not blend nicely when singing with others, earlier in the same scene it seemed that she was having a shouting match with Vratogna. They did sound better together in Act II (pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) and in the very last part of Act III. Shagimuratova does have a twittering sparkle to her sound. Vratogna's voice is much less pretty, as is appropriate. He did well portraying scorn, anger, and desperation. He had a harder time being doting or sad.

    Though fairly simple, the production did not always help these singers. Shagimuratova's heavy-footedness in bounding up the stairs for "Caro Nome" hardly projected youthful exuberance. Though most of the singers moved with ease, one felt the direction was wan, and the movements on stage did not always have a strong sense of intention.

    The orchestra sounded fiery and crisper last night, Nicola Luisotti continued to drive the music forward. The chorus had an even better evening than for the opening, and seemed together and uniform. All the other principals sounded secure. Robert Pomakov gave a nuanced, imposing performance as Monterone. Andrea Silvestrelli continued to impress with his distinctive deep bass.

    * Tattling * 
    The audience was far more attentive for this second performance. The house was not full, and standing room was particularly empty.

    Leave a comment

  • SF Opera’s Opening Night Rigoletto


    06-Rigoletto* Notes *     
    The 90th season of San Francisco Opera got off to a fine start last night with Rigoletto, at least once opening night formalities were out of the way. Though not exactly precise, the orchestra bustled with enthusiasm, and Maestro Nicola Luisotti kept the music moving. The chorus sang with characteristic vigor.

    This revival is the fourth outing of the de Chirico-inspired production in fifteen years. Michael Yeargan’s set design is clean and quiet, other than the rather garish color palette. The scene changes are smooth, and the two pauses (between the first two scenes and the last two acts) did not take long.

    The array of lovely voices in this opera is striking. The six current and former Adlers sang seven of the smaller roles and acquitted themselves well. It is especially pleasing that mezzo-sopranos Laura Krumm (Countess Ceprano and A Page), Renée Rapier (Giovanna), and Kendall Gladen (Maddalena) all sound so distinct from one another.

    Likewise, bass Robert Pomakov made for a Monterone that could not be confused with the baritone of the title role. Andrea Silvestrelli is a threatening Sparafucile. His voice has beautiful resonances even in his lowest notes.

    Francesco Demuro made a strong effort as the Duke of Mantua, but came up a bit short. His bright voice has an edge of hysteria to it, lending him an unmanly air. He gave a respectable rendition of “La donna è mobile” but somehow did not engage the audience.

    Aleksandra Kurzak’s Gilda is attractive, her intonation is exact, and she never grates on the ear. On the other hand, her dark sound seems too sensual for the naive daughter of Rigoletto. Željko Lučić (pictured above in Act I Scene 2, photograph by Cory Weaver) impressed in the title role. His sound has volume and richness. The tenderness of Act I Scene 2 contrasted nicely with the despair of the last scene.

    * Tattling * 
    The opera started even later normal for opening night. The General Director even made an announcement ten minutes after the hour that the proceedings would begin in another five minutes. John Gunn and George Hume welcomed the audience, made acknowledgements to various donors, let us know we were to be photographed from the stage in honor of the 90th season, and also informed us that there would be champagne for all after the performance. After several photographs were taken, Luisotti lead the orchestra and the audience in the National Anthem, so the performance itself began nearly thirty minutes late.

    Leave a comment

  • Casting Changes for SF Opera’s Rigoletto


    B--Rigoletto-Terrence-McCarthyTenor David Lomelí has withdrawn from San Francisco Opera’s Rigoletto for personal reasons. Francesco Demuro, already scheduled to sing the Duke of Mantua on six dates, will now perform the role twice more on September 23 and 30. Arturo Chacón-Cruz sings on September 8, 12, 16, and 19.

    Press Release | SF Opera’s Official Site

    Leave a comment

  • Cal Performances 2012-2013 Season

    September 15-16 2012: National Circus of the People’s Republic of China
    September 18 2012: Laurie Anderson
    September 27-28 2012: Théâtre de la Ville performs Rhinocéros
    September 30 2012: Fall Free for All: Open House at Cal Performances
    October 10-12 2012: Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra performs Swan Lake
    October 16 2012: Delfeayo Marsalis Octet performs Sweet Thunder
    October 20 2012: Georgia’s Ensemble Basiani
    October 26-28 2012: Einstein on the Beach
    November 3 2012: Dan Savage
    November 3 2012: Calder Quartet
    November 3 2012: Concert Köln
    November 4 2012: Dell’Arte Company performs The Fish in My Head
    November 7 2012: Chucho Valdés & Afro-Cuban Messengers
    November 8 2012: Gloria Cheung, piano
    November 9-11 2012: Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Philharmonia Orchestra
    November 13 2012: Emanuel Ax, piano
    November 15 2012: Fran Lebowitz
    November 17 2012: Angélique Kidjo
    November 23-25 2012: Mummenschanz
    November 29-30 2012: Gustavo Dudamel conducts Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
    December 8 2012: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra performs Messiah
    December 14-23 2012: Mark Morris Dance Group performs The Hard Nut
    January 19 2013: Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour
    January 24 2013: Yo-Yo Ma, cello and Kathryn Stott, piano
    January 26-27 2013: Joffrey Ballet
    January 27 2013: Nicolas Hodges, piano
    February 1-2 2013: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
    February 3 2013: Kodo
    February 8 2013: Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca
    February 10 2013: Eric Owens, bass-baritone and Warren Jones, piano
    February 10 2013: Ira Glass
    February 12 2013: Christian Tetzlaff, violin
    February 15-17 2013: Circus Oz
    February 17 2013: Leonidas Kavakos, violin
    February 19 2013: Milos̆, guitar
    February 24 2013: Oakland Folkharmonic
    February 24 2013: Susanna Phillips, soprano
    March 1-10 2013: The Secret Garden
    March 2 2013: Voices of Afghanistan
    March 3 2013: Brentano String Quartet
    March 9 2013: Nathan Gunn, baritone and Julie Gunn, piano
    March 10 2013: Jeffrey Kahane, piano
    $42
    March 15 2013: Trisha Brown Dance Company
    March 17 2013: Afiara String Quartet
    March 17 2013: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
    March 22-23 2013: Australian Chamber Orchestra
    March 23 2013: The Tallis Scholars
    March 24 2013: Mohammad Reza Shajarian, vocals
    March 30 2013: Afropop Spectacular
    April 7 2013: Davitt Moroney, harpsichord
    April 10 2013: Paquito D’Rivera and the Assad Brothers
    April 13 2013: Ray Kurzweil
    April 13 2013: Trout Fishing in America
    April 14 2013: Simon Trpčeski, piano
    April 18 2013: Arlo Guthrie
    April 23-28 2013: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
    April 26-27 2013: Handel and Haydn Society
    May 3-5 2013: Les 7 Doigts de la Main Circus
    May 10-12 2013: Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg
    May 17 2013: San Francisco Opera Orchestra
    June 11-13 2012: Ojai North!

    Einstein on the Beach will be performed this October. Philharmonia Orchestra performs Wozzeck on Saturday, November 10. San Francisco Opera performs a new work by Nolan Gasser in March. Handel and Haydn Society performs Jephtha on Saturday, April 27 .

    Official Site | Brochure

    Leave a comment

  • Met Cast Changes 2012-2013 (as of 8/20/2012)

    From a press release on August 20, 2012.

    Janai Brugger makes her Met debut as Liù in Turandot on October 30 and sings the role on November 2, 5, and 9. Brugger replaces Takesha Meshé Kizart, who is recovering from recent abdominal surgery.

    Guanqun Yu replaces Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora in Il Trovatore on October 17, 20, and 25. This role marks her Met debut as well.

    Leave a comment

  • Merola Grand Finale 2012

    Merola-grand-finale-2012* Notes *
    Last night’s Merola Grand Finale featured many fine tenors. Casey Candebat sang a sweet “Pourquoi me réveiller?” in the first half of the program, and applause interrupted his scene with Sarah Mesko as Charlotte. Theo Lebow sang a pretty “O blonde Cérès” (from Les Troyens) but some of his high notes were a little raveled. AJ Gluekert was strong in Samuel Barber’s “At last I’ve found you.” Chuanyue Wang may have lacked a certain ease with “Povero Ernesto… Cercherò lontana terra,” but has a lovely voice.

    There were a few standouts among the sopranos also. Suzanne Rigden had a beautiful lucidity as a rebuffed ghost in Lully’s Alceste (pictured above, photograph by Kristen Loken) and sang Zdenka in “Ich danke Fräulein…Aber der Richtige” with characteristic flexibility. Jennifer Cherest had a charming duet with Andrew Stenson from Die lustige Witwe, both had fairly clear diction and sang with appeal. The audience loved Elizabeth Baldwin’s selection from Il corsaro.

    Many of the singers are impressively adept at acting. This was especially on display in “Orsù, la tua nipote…Pappataci! Che mai sento!” with Joshua Baum as Lindoro, Seth Mease Carico as Mustafà, and Gordon Bintner as Taddeo. Rose Sawvel and Joseph Lattanzi had everyone laughing with “Il m’a semblé sur mon épaule” from Offenbach’s Orphée aux Enfers.

    It is always of interest to hear how the singers have improved over the course of the summer. Andrew Kroes had a rich sound in “Volontiers, un vieil air Huguenots…Piff, paff” and was suitably sinister. Erin Johnson’s voice seemed more anchored as Juno in “Somnus awake!” than in her Schwabacher Concert.

    Stage director Jennifer Williams used the set for Moby-Dick as her backdrop, with a few pieces of furniture strewn about. There was much throwing of flowers and dragging of cloth over the course of the evening. Williams seemed concerned with storytelling, and at times this worked, and at other times it felt a bit stilted.

    Nicholas McGegan conducted the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in his particular jaunty style. The orchestra did occasionally get ahead of the singers in the first half of the program. Despite being a Baroque specialist, Maestro McGegan was convincing in most all of the different periods of music represented.

    * Tattling *
    A person in Row L Seat 6 texted for much of the overture from Béatrice et Bénédict that began the performance. She continued to look at her phone, but finally left after the fourth vocal selection.

    Leave a comment

  • Merola’s La finta giardiniera

    Merola-finta-giardiniera-2012* Notes * 
    Last night Mozart's La finta giardiniera had the first of two performances by the Merola Opera Program (Rose Sawvel, Casey Candebat, and Jennifer Cherest pictured left in Act I, photograph by Kristen Loken) in San Francisco this summer. The production, directed by Nicholas Muni, employs much violence and many weapons, but does not do much to elucidate the convoluted plot. The set does make the most of the space in a novel way, cleverly using two-sided canvases, and the lighting is effective. The costumes have a pleasing Steampunk feel.

    The cast is quite fine. Gordon Bintner sang Nardo with warmth. Rose Sawvel sounded bird-like as Serpetta, and projected both jealousy and flirtatiousness with ease. Sarah Mesko looked convincingly male as Ramiro, but her timbre is feminine and slightly hysterical. Theo Lebow could have a bit more control of his high notes, however he seemed suited to the role of Belfiore.

    Jacqueline Piccolino made for a haughty Arminda, singing and acting confidently. Jennifer Cherest sounded pretty and clear as the much-maligned title character. Her Sandrina is sympathetic and sweet. Casey Candebat has a beautiful, rich voice, and his Podestà is perfectly silly. His Act I aria, "Dentro il mio petto," was especially charming.

    * Tattling * 
    There was talking from the audience, even from those barely arm's length from Maestro Gary Thor Wedow and the orchestra.

    Leave a comment

  • Domenico Monteforte in SF

    MonteforteThe Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco is showing some thirty paintings by Domenico Monteforte from June 10 to August 20. The landscapes featured are in oils, some even painted on musical scores of Puccini. Monteforte is friends with conductor Nicola Luisotti, this fact being the impetus for an exhibition in San Francisco.

    Leave a comment

  • Arabella at Santa Fe Opera

    Santa-fe-opera-arabella* Notes *
    This season’s revival of Arabella (Act III pictured left, photograph by Ken Howard) opened at Santa Fe Opera yesterday. Sir Andrew Davis conducted a vivid performance from the orchestra, and the strings were particularly beautiful.

    Many of the smaller roles were filled by singers familiar to those of us from San Francisco, such as former Merolini Susanne Hendrix (Fortune Teller) and Jonathan Michie (Dominik). Current Adler Fellow Brian Jagde sang Count Elemer with strength. Dale Travis and Victoria Livengood convinced as Arabella’s rather silly parents.

    Heidi Stober sounded lovely as Zdenka, and was suitably naive and boyish. Mark Delavan could have sung Mandryka with a bit more heft, but the weight of his voice suits this venue better than the War Memorial. He did inhabit the character and his movements were appropriate to his role. Erin Wall sounded icy yet sturdy as Arabella.

    Director Tim Albery’s production is fluid, and designer Tobias Hoheisel’s work detailed but sedate. The three semi-circle walls arranged in different configurations for each act certainly has appeal.

    * Tattling * 
    There was again a lot of talking at this performance. The woman in Mezzanine Row G, Seat 107 would not be silent, even when glared at several times.

    Leave a comment

  • Maometto II at Santa Fe Opera

    Maometto-santa-fe-opera* Notes *
    The opening of Santa Fe Opera's Maometto II (Act II pictured left, photograph by Ken Howard) occurred a few weeks ago. The third performance yesterday evening had much appeal, in no small part because of Rossini's music, which was conducted by Frédéric Chaslin and played with spirit. The volume of the orchestra was held in check, and the singers were always audible.

    The singing was less consistent, at least on this particular Friday night. The chorus had a few diffuse moments, but sounded lovely by the end of the opera. Patricia Bardon looked convincing as Calbo, and while she does have plenty of power, her singing is not beautiful. Likewise, Luca Pisaroni is a strong actor, but did not seem vocally suited to the title role. His is a pretty voice, but the low notes lack richness. His big aria ("All'invito generoso") in the second half had more vitality than his singing in Act I.

    On the other hand, Bruce Sledge (Paolo Erisso) sounded bright, his voice seems to have the right weight to it for this music. There were a few moments of constriction in a few of his high notes, but this was easy to overlook. The obvious star of the performance was Leah Crocetto. Though her voice is a touch robust for Anna, she sang with ease and deftness. Her legato is gorgeous.

    David Alden's production is economical, and works well with the scenic design from Jon Morrell. The staging, dancing, and music come together delightfully when the Turks make their entrance at the end of Act I.

    * Tattling * 
    There was much talking at this performance. A child seated in Row B of the mezzanine conducted with both hands during the opera, and his father simply joined in, and gestured as the music played.

    Leave a comment