The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Category: Sondra Radvanovsky

  • SF Opera’s Roberto Devereux

    * Notes * A magnificently cast Roberto Devereux (opening scene pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) is the second offering in San Francisco Opera's 96th season. Though somewhat marred by a tepid staging, the tragic opera by Donizetti is a fine vehicle for vocal fireworks and held together by a confident orchestra and chorus. Maestro…

  • Pasticcina Norma

    Act I Scene 1 of Norma takes place in a Gaulish forest at night. Here the Druids assemble and Norma (Sondra Radvanovsky) prays to the moon goddess for peace. Details of Painting | Performance Reviews of Norma

  • SF Opera’s Norma (Thomas)

    * Notes * The fifth performance of San Francisco Opera‘s new production of Norma was held yesterday. This was the third go with tenor Russell Thomas replacing Marco Berti. I also heard that as of the Friday, September 19th performance, Sondra Radvanovsky (pictured as Norma with the chorus in Act I, photograph by Cory Weaver) and…

  • SF Opera’s Norma Media Round-Up

    Production Web Site | SF Opera's Blog Reviewers are impressed by Sondra Radvanovsky (pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) in the title role of San Francisco Opera's Norma. Reviews: Bachtrack | Civic Center | Huffington Post | Not For Fun Only | Opera Warhorses | San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Classical Voice | San…

  • SF Opera’s Norma (Berti)

    * Notes * The 92nd season of San Francisco Opera opened last night with a musically luminous Norma. Maestro Nicola Luisotti conducted with vigor, and the orchestra never overwhelmed the singers, only briefly getting ahead of them once or twice. The woodwinds were particularly beautiful. The chorus sang well, the chorus members sounded unified and together.…

  • Conlon conducts Verdi’s Requiem at SFS

    * Notes * This week James Conlon conducts San Francisco Symphony in Verdi’s Requiem. Fabio Luisi was originally scheduled to take the podium, but took over most of James Levine’s fall engagements at the Met. Perhaps it is just as well, Maestro Conlon did a fine job with the work, the phrasing was lucid and taut.…

  • Il Trovatore at the Met

     * Notes * The last performance of Il Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera was Saturday's matinee. Since I have seen seemed David McVicar's production several times in San Francisco, it seemed best to simply listen at a score desk today. Conductor Marco Armiliato had the orchestra sounding spirited. The racing tempi were infused with energy. The…

  • Don Carlo at Opéra national de Paris

    * Notes *The opening of Don Carlo at Opéra national de Paris was a bit slapdash. Graham Vick's production had some attractive elements, but lost a lot of tension in the drama because of how slow scene changes were. This was not helped by the two intermissions for four acts. Tobias Hoheisel's costumes were ostentatious…

  • Sondra Radvanovsky Interview

    Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky (pictured left in costume by Jai Alltizer for the current SF Opera production, photograph from John F. Martin) just had her San Francisco Opera debut singing Leonora in Il Trovatore. She sings two more performances and will be signing her first CD in the SF Opera Gift Shop tomorrow. The Opera Tattler…

  • Walewska in Trovatore

    * Notes * Malgorzata Walewska took the stage as Azucena in San Francisco Opera's Il Trovatore last night. Walewska certainly came across as crazy, more so than Stephanie Blythe, with whom she is sharing the role. Unfortunately Walewska's voice did not project well over the orchestra, and when she sang with Marco Berti this was especially…