The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Category: Donald Runnicles

  • SF Opera’s Götterdämmerung Cycle 1

    * Notes * Cycle 1 of Der Ring des Nibelungen at San Francisco Opera concluded with Götterdämmerung (final scene of Act II pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) yesterday evening. Francesca Zambello's production went more smoothly than at the prima earlier this month. The final scene had more impact, and Brünnhilde's torch did not go out…

  • SF Opera’s Siegfried Cycle 1

    * Notes * San Francisco Opera's current Ring cycle continued with Siegfried (Act III, Scene 3 pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) last night. The production, from Francesca Zambello, portrays the title character as an artless, troubled youth in an urban fairytale. The comedy of the work is clear, but other aspects of the production are…

  • SF Opera’s Die Walküre Cycle 1

    * Notes * Cycle 1 of Der Ring des Nibelungen at San Francisco Opera continued last night with Die Walküre (Act III pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver). Francesca Zambello's production shows the human side of every character, both God and hero alike are shown as flawed yet accessible. The use of fire, dogs, and parachuting…

  • SF Opera’s Das Rheingold Cycle 1

    * Notes * Francesca Zambello’s “American” Ring opened with Das Rheingold Tuesday night at San Francisco Opera. Many of the video projections (by Jan Hartley) had been changed. Instead of reminding one of screen-savers, they look more like scenes from a Lord of the Rings video game. The projections for the beginning were a vast…

  • Götterdämmerung at SF Opera

    * Notes * Today’s premiere of Götterdämmerung (Act II pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) at San Francisco Opera was arresting. Maestro Donald Runnicles had the orchestra sounding vivid and beautiful. There were bad notes and cloudiness here and there in the brass, but nonetheless it hardly mattered. The woodwinds were evocative, the strings shimmering. The…

  • Siegfried at SF Opera

    * Notes * Francesca Zambello's production of Siegfried (pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) opened today at San Francisco Opera. Though this opera is nearly 4 hours of music, it breezed by this afternoon. The orchestra was luminious under Donald Runnicles. The brass was warm with only a bit of haziness, and most of the horn…

  • Die Walküre Panel Discussion

    * Notes * Last Thursday San Francisco Opera held a donor event at the Ritz-Carlton, a panel discussion with Maestro Donald Runnicles, soprano Nina Stemme, and baritone Mark Delavan, moderated by Gregory Henkel. Henkel was bit late, as he had been stuck at the airport in Los Angeles on his way back from the Ring there.…

  • Die Walküre at SF Opera

    * Notes * Die Walküre had a stunning opening last night at San Francisco Opera. There was never a dull moment from the orchestra pit, and Donald Runnicles kept the tempi apace, and rarely overwhelmed the singers. There were some notes that were out of tune or not perfectly clear from the brass, but for the…

  • Last Performance of Runnicles as SF Opera’s Music Director

     * Notes * Thursday's B cast performance of La Traviata at San Francisco Opera marked the end of Donald Runnicles' tenure as Music Director. Elizabeth Futral still sounded shrill in Act I, but improved as the night wore on. David Lomelí seemed restrained, but sang beautifully, especially at the beginning of Act II. Stephen Powell's…

  • Runnicles conducts Verdi’s Requiem

    * Notes * Last night Donald Runnicles conducted a performance of Verdi's Requiem at San Francisco Opera. Both the orchestra and the chorus were in fine form. The woodwinds sounded particularly lovely, and the brass was quite clear. There were only a few poor moments in the "Agnes Dei" and the "Libera me." The soloists all…