The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Category: San Francisco Opera

  • SF Opera’s Das Rheingold Cycle 3

    * Notes * The third and final Ring cycle of the season at San Francisco Opera started with Das Rheingold (Brandon Jovanovich, Elizabeth Bishop, Melissa Citro, and Gerd Grochoski in Scene 4 pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) last Tuesday. Maestro Runnicles had the orchestra sounding noticeably cleaner this time around, especially the brass. The…

  • SF Opera’s Ring Cycle 2 Media Round-Up

    Production Web Site | SF Opera's Ring Blog | Cycle 1 Reviews Pictured left is Act III, Scene 2 of San Francisco Opera's Götterdämmerung with Ian Storey (Siegfried), Gerd Grochowski (Gunther), Andrea Silvestrelli (Hagen), members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus, and supernumeraries by Cory Weaver. Cycle 3 starts this week, and below are selected…

  • Heidi Melton Interview

    Soprano Heidi Melton (pictured left, photograph by Kristin Hoebermann) sings Third Norn in Götterdämmerung and Sieglinde in Cycle Three's Die Walküre this summer at San Francisco Opera. She sings Third Norn in the Met's upcoming Ring cycle next year. The Opera Tattler caught up with Melton at the War Memorial before rehearsal a few weeks…

  • SF Opera’s Götterdämmerung Cycle 2

    * Notes * Cycle 2 of Der Ring des Nibelungen at San Francisco Opera concluded with Götterdämmerung (final scene of Act III pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) today. The orchestra was in fine form under Donald Runnicles. The bass clarinet, harp, and trumpet sounded especially wonderful. The chorus did well, and the male chorus sounded…

  • Auditions for the General Director 2011

    * Notes *This year's Auditions for the General Director of San Francisco Opera were this evening, featuring the participants of the Merola Opera Program. The quality of singing was consistent and very nice. We heard quite a few arias in English and Russian. Mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel, bass Peixin Chen, soprano Elizabeth Zharoff, bass-baritone Philippe Sly, soprano…

  • SF Opera’s Siegfried Cycle 2

    * Notes * San Francisco Opera‘s second Ring cycle continued with Siegfried (Act II, Scene 3 pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) on Friday. The orchestra played clearly. The sound of the off-stage horn in Act II, Scene 2 was clean and pleasant. The music for Siegfried passing through the magic fire at the end of…

  • SF Opera’s Die Walküre Cycle 2

    * Notes * The second cycle of Der Ring des Nibelungen at San Francisco Opera continued Wednesday night with Die Walküre (Act I pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver). The orchestra sounded cleaner than last week. Donald Runnicles seems to be leading an understated, subtle rendering, which is rather beautiful. The strings played especially well, the…

  • SF Opera’s Das Rheingold Cycle 2

    * Notes * The Ring at San Francisco Opera began anew with Das Rheingold (Štefan Margita and Mark Delavan in Scene 2 pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) on Tuesday. Everyone sounded more comfortable and relaxed. There were fewer issues with moving the sets, though there were still audible thumps and bangs as things were…

  • SF Opera’s Ring Cycle 2 Symposium

    San Francisco Opera held a Ring (Act I of Götterdämmerung pictured left, photo by Cory Weaver) symposium for Cycle 2 on June 21, 2011. The event began with Jonathan Khuner giving us an overview of the plot and music of Der Ring des Nibelungen. He played musical examples on the piano and also had more…

  • SF Opera’s Ring Cycle 1 Media Round-Up

    Production Web Site | SF Opera’s Ring Blog | Civic Center Ring Preview | Iron Tongue of Midnight’s Ring Recordings, Part I: Overview | Iron Tongue of Midnight’s Ring Recordings, Part II Pictured left is the Act III, Scene 3 of San Francisco Opera’s Götterdämmerung with Stacey Tappan (Woglinde), Renee Tatum (Flosshilde), and Lauren McNeese…