The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Patricia Racette
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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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* Notes * Yet another revival of Madama Butterfly opened today at San Francisco Opera. When I heard this opera was added to the season, I wondered if I would avoid it. I was pretty bored by it already the last time it was here in the summer of 2006, despite not having seen it…
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A revival of Madama Butterfly opened 27. May at San Francisco Opera. Directed by Ron Daniels and designed by Michael Yeargan, the production involves shoji screens that slide across the stage. This device was used quite a lot, and it was slightly tiresome. Also, the paintings and calligraphy on the screens in Act I were…
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A production owned by the Washington Opera of Verdi’s Otello opened at San Francisco Opera last Wednesday. Tenor Ben Heppner was to sing the titular role, but withdrew earlier in the year. Consequently, the part is now being shared by Jon Fredric West and Timothy Mussard. West’s voice is not particularly stunning. West sounded cold…
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Opening night of the opera is splendid event. Everyone dresses up in a most lavish manner, and there are flowers everywhere. This year red roses decorated the boxes and filled enormous vases in the halls. I spent a half hour before the performance and both the intermissions simply gaping and tittering at all the splendid…
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