The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Recital Review
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* Notes*A number of young artists from the Merola Opera Program gave a recital of American songs curated by pianist Ronny Michael Greenberg (pictured, photograph by Kristen Loken) last Thursday evening. Six singer/pianist duos were featured for a very cute performance to kick off the summer's Merola festivities. It was fun to hear the pianists,…
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* Notes * Violinist Midori (pictured, photograph by Nigel Parry) and pianist Özgür Aydin gave a recital inspired by Federico Garcia Lorca’s poem Casida of the Lament. The playing was vibrant and varied. Midori has an incredible range as far as her technique. She really can get all sorts of sounds and colors out of…
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* Notes * Pianist Marc-André Hamelin (pictured, photograph by Sim Cannety-Clarke) gave a recital full of contrasts at Herbst Theatre last night at SF Performances. His playing is technically superb, very fluid, efficient, and springy. Hamelin started the program with Hadyn’s Piano Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:37, which he played with straightforward clarity. It…
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* Notes *Soprano Lise Davidsen (pictured, photograph by James Hole) made her Bay Area debut with a fabulous recital Cal Performances last Tuesday evening. Accompanied by pianist Malcolm Martineau, we heard an eclectic array of pieces ranging from Purcell to Grieg. Davidsen has a powerful voice, with beautiful low notes and pristine, completely effortless high…
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* Notes *Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson (pictured, photograph by Ari Magg) is playing Bach's Goldberg Variations all over the world in the 2023-2024 season and came to Cal Performances last Saturday afternoon. The recital he gave was potent and focused, getting all sorts of colors out of the instrument. He started off very sedately with the…
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* Notes *Tenor Mark Padmore sang Schubert's Winterreise at Cal Performances yesterday afternoon. Accompanied by the pianist Mitsuko Uchida ( pictured with Padmore, photograph by Justin Pumfrey) we were taken on an intense journey with these 24 songs. Padmore has a bright voice and clear German diction. He was able to convey the text not…
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* Notes *Soprano Erin Morley (pictured, photograph by Dario Acosta) sang a garden-inspired recital Cal Performances this afternoon. Accompanied by pianist Malcolm Martineau, we heard a number of unusual pieces by famous composers. Morley has a lucid toned soprano, she is very clear and precise without being boring. She began the performance with selections from…
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* Notes * Violinist Midori (pictured, photograph by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders) played a solo performance of Bach, Thierry Escaich, and Annie Gosfield at Herbst Theatre Friday night at SF Performances. She plays another program of Bach, Jessie Montgomery, and John Zorn on Sunday, and I’m horribly tempted to attend, as Midori is such a singular talent.…
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* Notes * San Francisco Opera‘s training program, Merola, held another virtual recital for the holidays via Vimeo with pianist James Harp, soprano Amber R. Monroe, tenor Edward Graves, and bass Kevin Thompson. I watched right when it was released last Sunday with my small children and it proved to be the perfect bit of…
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* Notes * Last Sunday the Merola Opera Program held a virtual recital of luminous mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis (pictured) accompanied by pianist Jeanne-Minette Cilliers over Vimeo. The concise, direct performance showcased Bryce-Davis' beautiful voice and lovely warmth as an artist. The recital began with four pieces in German. Bryce-Davis has a well-supported sound that seems…
The Opera Tattler 