The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Merola Opera Program
-
* Notes *The Auditions for the General Director of San Francisco Opera occurred last night after the matinée performance of Les Contes d'Hoffmann. The twenty-three singers in the Merola Opera Program performed, each accompanied by one of five apprentice coaches. There were some interesting tenors and mezzo-sopranos. The baritones, though all very loud and competent,…
-
The 28 of the 29 incoming Merolini (pictured left, photograph by Scott Grieder) were interviewed by San Francisco Opera Center Director Sheri Greenawald, Merola Opera Board of Directors Chairman Jayne Davis, and President Donna L. Blacker yesterday evening, in the Nourse Theater. This year four of the participants are Canadian and two are Iowan. We…
-
SopranosLinda Barnett, Greeneville, TennesseeAviva Fortunata, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaAlisa Jordheim, Appleton, WisconsinJacqueline Piccolino, Palatine, IllinoisMaria Valdes, Atlanta, Georgia Mezzo-SopranosKate Allen, Dublin, IrelandRihab Chaieb, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaDaryl Freedman, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaKatie Hannigan, Newburgh, New YorkZanda Švēde, Valmiera, Latvia TenorsCasey Finnigan, Austin, TexasMatthew Newlin, Georgetown, IllinoisPene Pati, Mangere, Auckland, New ZealandIssachah Savage, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaRobert Watson, Kansas City, Missouri Baritones…
-
The incoming 2013 Adler Fellows are Jennifer Cherest, Erin Johnson, A.J. Glueckert, Chuanyue Wang, Hadleigh Adams, and Philippe Sly. They join current Adlers (pictured left, photograph by Kristen Loken) Marina Boudart Harris, Laura Krumm, Renée Rapier, Joo Won Kang, and Robert Mollicone. The outgoing 2012 Adler Fellows are soprano Nadine Sierra, tenor Brian Jagde, bass-baritone…
-
* Notes * Last night’s Merola Grand Finale featured many fine tenors. Casey Candebat sang a sweet “Pourquoi me réveiller?” in the first half of the program, and applause interrupted his scene with Sarah Mesko as Charlotte. Theo Lebow sang a pretty “O blonde Cérès” (from Les Troyens) but some of his high notes were…
-
* Notes * Last night Mozart's La finta giardiniera had the first of two performances by the Merola Opera Program (Rose Sawvel, Casey Candebat, and Jennifer Cherest pictured left in Act I, photograph by Kristen Loken) in San Francisco this summer. The production, directed by Nicholas Muni, employs much violence and many weapons, but does not…
-
* Notes * Dominick Argento’s Postcard from Morocco was performed last night by the Merola Opera Program at Cowell Theater in San Francisco. This odd one act opera, which premiered in 1971, requires only ninety minutes, seven singers, and eight instrumentalists. The action takes place at a train station, and the waiting travelers all carry particular…
-
* Notes * The Schwabacher Summer Concert on Thursday started with a percussive and energetic overture from Roberto Devereux. The orchestra, conducted by Giuseppe Finzi, sounded together and strong. The singing began with a scene from Anna Bolena, the matching costumes in black and white were striking. On the other hand, the stark shadows used looked…
-
* Notes *The Auditions for the General Director of San Francisco Opera occurred last night after the this season's last performance of Attila. The twenty-three singers in the Merola Opera Program performed, each accompanied by one of five apprentice coaches. This year there are many talented tenors. Many Mozart arias were heard. Soprano Jacqueline Piccolino,…
-
* Program * “Che gelida manina” from La BohèmeJoshua Baum, tenor and Artem Grishaev, piano “Bella siccome un’ angelo” from Don PasqualeJoseph Lattanzi, baritone and Elena Lacheva, piano “Deh per questo istante solo” from La Clemenza di TitoSarah Mesko, mezzo-soprano and Kevin Miller, piano “Madamina, il catalogo è questo” from Don GiovanniMatthew Scollin, bass-baritone and…
The Opera Tattler 