The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Opera San José
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* Notes * The Bay Area premiere of Héctor Armienta's Zorro (Eugene Brancoveanu and Xavier Prado pictured, photograph by David Allen) opened last night at Opera San José in a crowd pleasing production with beautiful playing and singing. The orchestra sounded splendid under Maestro Jorge Parodi. The opera is earnest and heartfelt, the music quite pleasant…
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* Notes * La Bohème (Kearstin Piper Brown and WooYoung Yoon pictured in Act IV, photograph by David Allen) closed at Opera San José last weekend with a youthful cast and beautiful singing. The traditional production doesn’t make for the smoothest transitions but looks very nice. The scenic design, from Kim A. Tolman, completely looks like…
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* Notes * A delightful revival of The Magic Flute (Act II pictured, photograph by David Allen) opened at Opera San José about a week ago, but I attended yesterday's matinée. The production is cute, the singing is great, and the conducting from Maestra Alma Deutscher was strong. The stage within a stage production designed by…
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* Notes * Daniel Catán's Florencia en el Amazonas (Act II pictured, photograph by David Allen) had a long overdue Bay Area premiere at Opera San José last weekend. The attractive new production features lots of strong singing. The music is reminiscent of Puccini, lots of shimmery swells of sound. The orchestra sounded robust under…
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September 14–29 2024: The Magic FluteNovember 16– December 1 2024: La bohèmeFebruary 15– March 2 2025: Bluebeard’s CastleApril 19– May 4 2025: Héctor Armienta’s Zorro Today new General Director Shawna Lucey (pictured, photograph by David Allen) announced Opera San José’s next season, which includes a regional premiere of Zorro by Héctor Armienta, which opened at…
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* Notes * Rigoletto opened at Opera San José last weekend, but I attended the fourth performance, today's matinée. The opera was very moving. Dan Wallace Miller's production has the title character with a large scar on the right side of his face, rather than a spinal deformity, while the Duke has pox on his…
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* Notes * Gounod's Roméo et Juliette (Sunday matinée ovation pictured, photograph by Charlise Tiee) opened Opera San José's fortieth season last weekend. The singing yesterday was very lovely and lyrical. It was well worth the drive to the South Bay to hear. General Director Shawna Lucey directed this new production, which did not seem…
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* Notes * Tosca (Act II pictured, photograph by David Allen) opened at Opera San José in an effective production directed by Tara Branham last weekend. The singing was all very powerful, the action straightforward, and the Sunday matinee was a richly satisfying afternoon of theater. This is the quintessential opera, the title character is…
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* Notes * A 2013 production of Falstaff (Act II pictured, photograph by David Allen) set in a wine cask returned to Opera San José last weekend. There was much lovely singing and comedic physicality. Based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes that Falstaff appears in from Henry IV, Parts 1 and…
The Opera Tattler 