The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Category: David Daniels

  • Hercules at Lyric Opera of Chicago

    * Notes * The cast for Lyric Opera of Chicago's Hercules is nothing short of impressive. The Thursday matinée performance seemed well-attended, even the lecture from director Peter Sellars was rather full. Sellars certainly expressed a strong conception for how he staged this oratorio, and has both respect and understanding for the work. However, sometimes…

  • David Daniels at PBO

    * Notes * Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra opened a run of performances featuring countertenor David Daniels last night in Berkeley. Nicholas McGegan first conducted Telemann's Concerto for Three Horns and Violin in D major. The orchestra bounced delightfully but despite their efforts, the horns had more than one painful moment. One imagines this instrument must be devilishly…

  • Santa Fe Opera’s 2011 Season

    July 1- August 27 2011: FaustJuly 2- August 26 2011: La BohèmeJuly 16- August 19 2011: GriseldaJuly 23- August 25 2011: The Last SavageJuly 30- August 17 2011: Wozzeck Santa Fe just announced that their new chief conductor is Frederic Chaslin and what is coming up for the 2011 season. Bryan Hymel and Dimitri Pittas…

  • Serse at Houston Grand Opera

    * Notes *Händel’s Serse had a strong opening yesterday evening at Houston Grand Opera. The production, from the English National Opera, is entertaining, and features astroturf as a main stage element. The chorus seemed to all be painted grey, and the supernumeraries white. During the overture, the principals are introduced in turn, with the names…

  • David Daniels and The English Concert

    * Notes * Countertenor David Daniels is currently on tour with the English Concert, to promote his latest recording with that ensemble. The first half of evening was devoted to Bach, starting off with Harry Bicket leading the English Concert in the Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major. They played primly, but not dispassionately. Daniels sang a…

  • Houston Opera’s 2009-2010 Season

    October 23 – November 7 2009: L'Elisir d'Amore October 30- November 15 2009: Lohengrin January 22- February 7 2010: Tosca January 29- February 13 2010 : Turn of the Screw April 16- May 1 2010: The Queen of Spades April 30- May 14 2010: Xerxes Patricia Racette sings the title role in Tosca opposite of Marcus Haddock. Susan Graham and David Daniels…

  • Santa Fe Opera’s 2008 Season

    June 27- August 23 2008: FalstaffJune 28- August 22 2008: Le Nozze di FigaroJuly 12- August 21 2008: Billy BuddJuly 19- August 20 2008: RadamistoJuly 26- August 12 2008: Adriana Mater The next season at Santa Fe Opera includes the US premiere of Kaija Saariaho‘s newest opera. Naturally the production of Händel is from David…

  • L’incoronazione di Poppea

    * Notes * Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea was performed at Los Angeles Opera from November 25th to December 16th this year. I had the opportunity to attend the penultimate performance in the Grand Circle. All in all, the experience was moving. The music is amazing and the production did not detract from it. Harry Bicket…

  • Lo t’abbraccio

    The production of Händel’s Rodelinda currently at San Francisco Opera is one from the Bayerische Staatsoper, and I had attended a few performances of it in Munich a few years ago. It is one of the tamer offerings of this particular director, David Alden. The opera is set as 1930s film noir, Buki Shiff’s costumes…

  • Da tempeste il legno infranto (Act III, Scene 7)

    Da tempeste il legno infranto,se poi salvo giunge in porto,non sa più che desiar.Così il cor tra pene e pianto,or che trova il suo conforto,torna l’anima a bear. * * * I managed to get a standing room ticket for last night’s performance of Giulio Cesare, though I was somewhat intimidated by figuring out the…