The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: David Gockley
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* Notes * Les Waters moderated a discussion between Dominique Serrand, Bradley Greenwald, and David Gockley as part of Berkeley Repertory Theatre‘s Page to Stage program. Dominique Serrand is the artistic director of Jeune Lune, and also directs and stars in the production of Figaro currently at Berkeley Rep. Bradley Greenwald is Count Almaviva in Figaro, and adapted the…
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* Notes * San Francisco Opera‘s Annual Meeting was held yesterday afternoon. Board of Directors President George H. Hume, General Director David Gockley, and CFO Michael Simpson all gave reports. Things seem to be going well, the endowment is up to $125 million from $45 million in 2002-2003, and though subscriptions are slightly down from…
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* Notes * The Schwabacher Debut Recital Series continued yesterday with baritone Lucas Meachem singing selections from Dvořák's Zigeunermelodien, Poulenc's Chansons Gaillardes, Schumann's Zwölf Lieder, and Copland's Old American Songs. Meachem certainly is amiable, talking to the audience before each set of songs. His singing is vigorous enough to fill a small hall like the…
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Someone one pulled a fire alarm just a few minutes before yesterday’s performance of The Rake’s Progress was to begin, so we all had to file out and everything started half an hour late. This hasn’t happened in awhile, but I remember a rash of fire alarm pulling in 2005. Later, everyone laughed at the…
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Of late, every time I pass Dress Barn I think of San Francisco Opera's most recent promotional materials for subscriptions. "A Season of Glamour," indeed. This is the worst time of the year for me, because by next week, San Francisco Opera will have finished the Fall part of the season, and it will be…
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* Notes * The last performance of La Rondine was sold-out, but as it is part of my subscription, I attended in my regular spot in Box X. The set looks quite nice up close as well as from afar, though I noticed that the mirror ball in Act II was audible. I suspect it…
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* Notes * I gave La Rondine a second chance, and listened to it in the balcony standing room area last night. The sets and costumes were beautiful from afar as well, and the disco ball in Act II was not visible, so not blinding. Even still, I could see why this opera has only…
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* Notes * The word icon is from Greek εἰκών meaning "image." Last night, Philip Glass was interviewed by David Gockley at the Interview with an Icon donor event. The first half of the interview was devoted to Glass' life, working at his father's record store as a child; going to Peabody, University of Chicago,…
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Yesterday David Gockley decided that Hope Briggs (pictured left) would not sing Donna Anna in the new production of Don Giovanni, which opens tomorrow. Instead, the current Adler Fellow Elza van den Heever (pictured right) will have her main stage debut as Donna Anna. Press Release [PDF]
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* Notes * The Adler recital last night started off with the overture from Bernstein's Candide. This was followed by a most terrible butchering of Händel's Alcina Act III, Scenes 2 through 7. Soprano Elza van den Heever was a shrill, nasal, and gasping Alcina. Mezzo-soprano Kendall Gladen was cold and too quiet as Bradamante,…
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