Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
September 15- October 6 2012: Anna Bolena
September 20- October 15 2012: Don Giovanni
September 23 2012: Nathan Gunn Concert
December 21-23 2012: Hansel and Gretel
March 2-23 2013: Manon Lescaut
March 9-24 2013: Norma
April 8 2013: Diana Damrau Concert
May 4-26 2013: Show Boat
The 2012-2013 season at WNO was announced today. Sondra Radvanovsky sings the title role of Anna Bolena. Angela Meade sings the title role of Norma.
September 5-8 2012: Bychkov conducts Wagner, Bruch, Tchaikovsky; Pinchas Zuckerman, violin
September 12-15 2012: Bychkov conducts Shostakovich's 7th
September 19 2012: Opening Gala: MTT conducts Berlioz, Chausson, Saint-Saëns, Ravel; Joshua Bell, violin
September 20-23 2012: MTT conducts Berlioz, Chausson, Saint-Saëns, Ravel; Alina Pogostkina, violin
September 27-30 2012: MTT conducts Samuel Carl Adams, Mahler
October 4-6 2012: Vasily Petrenko conducts Pärt, Bartók, Respighi
October 7 2012: Schiff plays Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
October 11-13 2012: Schiff conducts Mendelssohn, Bach
October 18-20 2012: Jurowski conducts Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev
October 21 2012: Schiff plays Well-Tempered Clavier, Book Book II
October 24-28 2012: van Zweden conducts Wagner, Mozart, Brahms
October 27 2012: John D. Goldman Tribute Concert
October 30 2012: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
October 31 2012: MTT conducts Volkert, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff; Yuja Wang, piano
November 1-2 2012: MTT conducts Volkert, Bartók, Rachmaninoff; Lang Lang, piano
November 3 2012: Día de los Muertos Concert
November 4 2012: SF Symphony Youth Orchestra
November 11-12 2012: Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
December 5-8 2012: MTT conducts Widmann, Berlioz
December 9 2012: Cabrera conducts Peter and the Wolf
December 13-16 2012: Messiah
December 31 2012: New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball
January 10-13 2013: MTT conducts Debussy, Duparc; Renee Fleming, soprano
January 16 2013: Renee Fleming, soprano and Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano
January 17-19 2013: MTT conducts Grieg
January 23-26 2013: Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart
January 25-29 2012: Zukerman conducts Mozart, Hindemith
February 2-14 2012: Blomstedt conducts Mozart, Tchaikovsky
January 26 2013: Cabrera conducts Music for Families
January 30- February 1 2013: Dutoit conducts Ravel, Lalo, Elgar
February 2 2013: Chinese New Year Concert
February 6-10 2013: Dutoit conducts Poulenc, Berlioz
February 8 2013: Gil Shaham, violin & Akira Eguchi, piano
February 12-13 2013: Russian National Orchestra
February 14-17 2013: Heras-Casado conducts Lindberg, Liszt, Prokofiev
February 17 2013: Itzak Perlman, violin & Rohan De Silva, piano
February 21-23 2013: Tortelier conducts Debussy, R. Strauss, Mendelssohn
February 23 2013: Cabrera conducts Music for Families
February 28- March 2 2013: MTT conducts Mozart, Bruckner
March 6-9 2013: MTT conducts Berio, Beethoven, Brahms
March 10 2013: Cameron Carpenter, organ
March 14-17 2013: MTT conducts Mahler's 9th
March 24 2013: Cabrera conducts SFS Youth Orchestra
April 5-6 2013: Labadie conducts Mozart & Handel
April 6 2013: Cabrera conducts Music for Families
April 14 2013: Schiff plays French Suites
April 17-20 2013: Blomstedt conducts Beethoven & Nielsen
April 15 2013: Schiff plays English Suites
April 25-27 2013: Eschenbach conducts Schoenberg, Brahms, Dvorak
April 28 2013: Paul Jacobs, organ
April 28 2013: Matthias Goerne, baritone & Eschenbach, piano
May 2-3 2013: MTT conducts Beethoven
May 4-9 2013: MTT; Michael Fabiano, tenor; & St. Laurence String Quartet
May 10-11 2013: MTT conducts Missa Solemnis
May 15-18 2013: Janowski conducts Schumann, Brahms
May 19 2013: Cabrera conducts SFS Youth Orchestra
May 22-25 2013: Robertson conducts Carter, Ravel, Gershwin
May 29- June 2 2013: Valcuha conducts Dvořák, Kodaly, Bartok
June 6-9 2013: Karabits conducts Honegger, Britten, Sibelius
June 13-15 2013: Abbado conducts Schumann, Fedele, & Schubert
June 19-20 2013: MTT conducts Stravinsky; Gil Shaham, violin
June 21-22 2013: MTT conducts Stravinsky; The Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble
June 27- July 2 2013: MTT conducts West Side Story
* Notes *
Last weekend Jonathan Nott (pictured left, photograph by Thomas Müller) conducted Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto and Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. The concert started with the former, the soloist being Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who played with clarity. The orchestra sounded neat and together. Schoenberg's music tends to put pressure on my sinuses, perhaps it is simply tension, and after the piano concerto was over, I sneezed three times in quick succession. Das Lied von der Erde was more engaging, even if we happened to be sitting on the wrong side of the singers. It felt a bit as if we were part of the brass section. Stuart Skelton's voice was not quite expansive enough to be heard that distinctly from the Center Terrace, but his sound is pretty and his diction comprehensible. Michelle DeYoung was perfectly audible, her voice has an interesting metallic quality, and she sang the last part rather well.
* Tattling *
The audience completely quiet for the Schoenberg, but some talking was heard during the Mahler. A few people on the Orchestra Level were clearly asleep, but one young man near the front was rapt by DeYoung's performance.
* Notes *
A new production of Show Boat (Act I, Scene 1 pictured left, photograph by Robert Kusel/Lyric Opera of Chicago) opened at Lyric Opera of Chicago last month. The Friday matinée performance was an utter delight from top to bottom. Director Francesca Zambello is at her best in this co-production with Lyric, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. The humanity of the characters is clear and compelling. Peter J. Davison’s set is not overly ornate, move cleanly, and work well with Mark McCullough’s characteristically elegant lighting. The costumes, by Paul Tazewell, often make use of a pleasing contrast of red, white, and turquoise. The dancing, choreographed by Michele Lynch, is charming.
The straightforward music sounded effortless as far as the orchestra was concerned, conducted here by John DeMain. The chorus was robust, as were the principals. Cindy Gold and Ross Lehman were entertaining as Parthy and Captain Andy. Alyson Cambridge made for a striking Julie, with her incisive, but never shrill voice. Angela Renée Simpson sang Queenie with beauty and feeling. Morris Robinson was most impressive as Joe, his music is perhaps the most famous in this particular work, and he sang “Ol’ Man River” with warmth and beauty. Ashley Brown was an adorable Magnolia, she chirped sweetly. Nathan Gunn turned out a believable Ravenal, the lightness of his voice having an appeal in this role.
* Tattling *
The house was full of seniors and children, which meant there were watch alarms at the hours and a lot of fidgeting. The family in Upper Balcony Row Q Seats 10-16 could not stay still, one of the sons kept running across the aisle and the other would occasionally stand up as he was unable to see the stage from his seat.
Last night, nine of ten Adler Fellows for 2012 were interviewed by Director of Music Administration Kip Cranna, San Francisco Opera Center Director of Musical Studies Mark Morash, and Director of Artistic Adminstration Gregory Henkel, at Cowell Theater at Fort Mason. We learnt that pianist and apprentice coach David Hanlon was off to Houston to music direct HGOco‘s The Bricklayer, a more than valid excuse for missing this event. The other apprentice coach, Robert Mollicone, aspires to conduct.
Marina Boudart Harris has only been singing soprano for twenty months. Nadine Sierra was somewhat ill, but earlier this year had sung Gilda in Florida Grand Opera’s production of Rigoletto to great acclaim. Renée Rapier had her professional debut late last year at LA Opera’s Roméo et Juliette when the person whom she was covering withdrew from the production. She is to cover Joyce DiDonato in I Capuleti e i Montecchi this fall. Laura Krumm just covered DiDonato in Jake Heggie’s song cycle about Camille Claudel. Krumm also sings in Love/Hate at ODC this April. Joo Won Kang is a baseball fan. Brian Jadge was covering Don José in French, whilst singing it in English in Carmen for Families. Ryan Kuster is to singing three roles from Don Giovanni in two months at LA Phil and WolfTrap. Ao Li relates to the title character of Le Nozze di Figaro because he is “smart.” Li delivered some of the English dialogue of Carmen for Families, and it was rather hilarious.
The interviews were interspersed with selections from Così fan tutte, Les pêcheurs de perles, Mignon, and Don Carlo. Mollicone gamely accompanied all of the pieces. “È lui! desso, l’infante…Dio, che nell’alma infondere” with Jadge, Li, and Kang was perhaps most impressive.
Today Lyric Opera announced the world premiere of Bel Canto, by composer Jimmy López and librettist Nilo Cruz. The work is based on the novel by Ann Patchett will be performed in the 2015-16 season. The conductor will be Sir Andrew Davis and the director Stephen Wadsworth. The opera has been commissioned as part of Lyric's Renée Fleming Initiative.
* Notes *
Orphée et Eurydice (William Burden as Orphée with the Furies pictured left, photograph by Elise Bakketun) opened at Seattle Opera on last night. Jose Maria Condemi's production provided a series of entertaining moments that did not quite cohere, but did not get in the way of the music. Phillip Lienau's set is clean, and the scene changes were smooth and quiet, enhanced by Connie Yun's lighting. The costumes, from Heidi Zamora, had a loose, relaxed look. Yannis Adoniou's choreography was dull, for example, the first ballet consisted of three dancers falling to the floor in unison and the third one was a pantomime foreshadowing the plot. The second ballet was silliest, the 7 dancers were Furies who drew their shirts over their heads. It seemed an untoward combination of Martha Graham's Lamentation (1930) and Merce Cunningham's Antic Meet (1958).
Conductor Gary Thor Wedow kept the orchestra moving, occasionally a bit a head of the singers. There were 2 or 3 minor intonation errors, but for the most part the orchestra had a nice, clear sound. The chorus sang well.
The principals were uniformly strong. Julianne Gearhart looked like she was on her way to Black Rock City as an Amore outfitted with pink ruffles, fairy wings, tall shiny boots, and a glittering cruiser. Her voice has a breathless, girlish quality to it. Davinia Rodríguez's voice is more piercing, and her Eurydice was convincing. Rodríguez pushed a little hard on some of the high notes at the beginning of Act II, Scene 2, but otherwise sounded fine. William Burden made for an incredible Orphée. His voice is sweet and bright, and his singing was quite moving. His "J'ai perdu mon Eurydice" was exquisite.
* Tattling *
Someone unwrapped something in cellophane during the overture. There was some whispering, particularly when no one was singing. No electronic noise was noted. I laughed a great deal during the second ballet, and tried to keep this as silent as possible.
September 24 2012- February 8 2013: L'Elisir d'Amore
September 26 2012- January 10 2013: Turandot
September 28 2012- March 1 2013: Carmen
September 29 2012- January 24 2013: Il Trovatore
October 9 2012- March 30 2013: Otello
October 23- November 17 2012: The Tempest
October 29- November 17 2012: Le Nozze di Figaro
November 8- December 14 2012: Un Ballo in Maschera
November 16- December 10 2012: La Clemenza di Tito
November 23- December 28 2012: Aida
November 28- December 20 2012: Don Giovanni
December 13 2012- January 5 2013: Les Troyens
December 18 2012- January 5 2013: The Barber of Seville
December 31 2012- January 26 2013: Maria Stuarda
January 11-26 2013: La Rondine
January 17- February 5 2013: Le Comte Ory
January 28- May 1 2013: Rigoletto
February 15- March 8 2013: Parsifal
February 22- March 16 2013: Don Carlo
March 4-22 2013: Francesca di Rimini
March 14- April 6 2013: La Traviata
March 21- April 5 2013: Faust
April 4- May 10 2013: Giulio Cesare
April 6- May 4 2013: Das Rheingold
April 13- May 6 2013: Die Walküre
April 20- May 8 2013: Siegfried
April 23- May 11 2013: Götterdämmerung
May 4-11 2013: Dialogues des Carmélites
The Met announced the 2012-2013 season today. The 7 new productions are L'Elisir d'Amore, Thomas Adès' The Tempest, Un Ballo in Maschera, Maria Stuarda, Rigoletto, Parsifal, and Giulio Cesare.
* Notes *
The third performance of Simon Boccanegra (Act I Scene 2 pictured left, photograph by Robert Millard) at Los Angeles Opera on Sunday was quite good. The production originates from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and is directed here by Elijah Moshinsky. Michael Yeargan's set is sleek, and Duane Schuler's lighting did help frame the many scenes. The late Peter J. Hall's costumes are lavish and are a fine counterpoint for the relative simplicity of set.
The tempi taken by Maestro James Conlon were brisk, and occasionally the orchestra seemed somewhat rushed. The brass was fairly clean, there were no obvious sour notes. The chorus was not always right on top of the beat, but sang with passion.
The singing was solid. Stefano Secco (Gabriele) was uncharacteristically fervent, perhaps being broadcast live and sharing the stage with Plácido Domingo (Simon Boccanegra) brought out the best in the former. Domingo sounded rather like a tenor in the title role, his voice is, of course, just so resonant and beautiful. Some of his lower notes were not particularly rich. Ana María Martínez made for an ethereal yet girlish Amelia. Paolo Gavanelli made for a convincing Paolo, his voice is sumptuous. Vitalij Kowaljow (Fiesco) also has a weighty sound, and seems bottomless.
* Tattling *
Watch alarms were heard at 3pm and 5 pm. A mobile phone rang in the middle of Act II from the Loge. The audience talked during the scene changes. A woman in Row E Seat 53 was especially loud, commenting that Domingo sounded "the same" as he always does as he was singing, and making other accurate but unhelpful comments to her husband in 54 and friend in 55.
During a pause, this friend mentioned that "in San Francisco we would have had five intermissions already" and that concessions must generate much income for that opera. An odd statement, given that this production has been performed in San Francisco twice (in 2001 and 2008), both times in two acts with one intermission. One will also note that Patina provides food and beverage for LA Opera and SF Opera.
Jay Hunter Morris (pictured left in the State Opera of South Australia's production of Moby-Dick) will replace Ben Heppner as Captain Ahab in the San Diego Opera's Moby-Dick on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Heppner is ill. Morris had been originally scheduled for the San Diego performances, but withdrew to sing Siegfried in the Metropolitan Opera's Götterdämmerung last month.
Moby-Dick at San Diego Opera | San Diego Opera's Press Releases
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