The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Recent posts

Category: Esa-Pekka Salonen

  • SF Symphony’s Erwartung

    * Notes *San Francisco Symphony performed Schoenberg’s Erwartung (1909) for the first time on Friday. Conducted by outgoing music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, the orchestra sounded splendid at the Saturday performance I attended. The musicians were very clear and together, while soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams (pictured as the Woman, photograph by Kristen Loken) sounded hearty, always…

  • San Francisco Symphony’s 2024-2025 Season

    September 5-8 2024: Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert: Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao MiyazakiSeptember 19-21 2024: Salonen conducts Verdi's RequiemSeptember 25 2024: Opening Gala with Salonen; Lang Lang, pianoSeptember 27-28 2024: Salonen conducts Nico MuhlyOctober 4-6 2024: Salonen conducts Brahms 4October 18-20 2024: Salonen conducts Beethoven's PastoralOctober 25-26 2024: Thomas Wilkens conducts Rhapsody…

  • Esa-Pekka Salonen and SF Symphony

    San Francisco Symphony announced today that Esa-Pekka Salonen (pictured left, photograph by Andrew Eccles) is its next music director. He starts in September 2020, succeed Michael Tilson Thomas, who leaves after 25 years. Press Release | Press Kit

  • Philharmonia Orchestra’s Wozzeck

    * Notes * Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra (pictured left, photograph by Peg Skorpinski) stopped at Cal Performances this weekend as part of a US tour. Last night’s program was a semi-staged version of Wozzeck. The lack of set and costumes allowed the music to take precedence, and the drama of this piece remained vivid…

  • Shostakovich’s Prologue to Orango

    * Notes * Over the weekend Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted Los Angeles Philharmonic in the world premiere of Shostakovich's Prologue to Orango. The piece was orchestrated by Gerard McBurney, based on surviving piano sketches. There was relatively little singing in the 40 minutes of music, as the 11 parts included an overture and three dances. Some…

  • From the House of the Dead at the Met

    * Notes * Leoš Janáček's final opera, Z Mrtvého Domu (From the House of the Dead) had a third performance at the Met last Saturday evening. The production marked the debuts of both conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and director Patrice Chéreau in this house. The austere staging featured a monolithic grey set from Richard Peduzzi, yet was…

  • La Scala’s 2009-2010 Season

    December 7-23 2009: Carmen January 15- February 5 2010: Rigoletto January 30- February 14 2010: Don Giovanni February 28- March 16 2010: From the House of the Dead March 17- April 2 2010: Tannhäuser April 6-30 2010: Lulu April 16- May 7 2010: Simon Boccanegra May 13-29 2010: Das Rheingold June 18- July 5 2010:…

  • Salonen conducts Beethoven’s 5th

    * Notes * Esa-Pekka Salonen is currently conducting LA Phil in a program which includes his own Violin Concerto, Ligeti’s Clocks and Clouds, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Today’s 11am performance was quite packed, since it is a part of a three-week celebration that marks the end of Salonen’s tenure as Music Director of the…