The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Uncategorized
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* Notes *Opera Parallèle gave a charming performance of Philip Glass’ La Belle et la Bête (pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) at Cal Performances last night. The piece is based on the film by Jean Cocteau from 1946, and the production included this along with other filmed segments and the performers on stage. The music…
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* Notes * Livermore Valley Opera opened a delightful production of Così fan tutte (pictured, photograph by Barbara Mallon) last weekend at the Bankhead Theater. The youthful cast pulled off impressive physical humor and garnered many laughs. Mozart’s music shows every flaw, and Maestro Alexander Katsman did not always have the small orchestra completely together,…
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* Notes * Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale (pictured, photograph by Hefti) performed Rameau’s acte de ballet La Guirlande, ou Les Fleurs enchantées yesterday evening at Herbst Theater in San Francisco. This lilting one-act hybrid of opera and ballet is being conducted by the inimitable Nicholas McGegan, music director emeritus of this group.. Like every…
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* Notes * Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale presented a program entitled Jewish Nightlife: Hebrew Poetry, Kabbalah, and Coffee (ovation pictured) last night at Congregation Emanu-El. This evening of chamber music, led by Maestro Nicholas McGegan, was jaunty and charming. Scholar-in-Residence Francesco Spagnolo took us through the rationale for including the various pieces and conversed…
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* Notes * This week Finnish conductor John Storgårds led the San Francisco Symphony in the U.S. premiere of Outi Tarkiainen’s The Rapids of Life (2023). The concise piece concerns child birth and has all kinds of interesting textures and shapes in it. Tarkiainen (pictured, photograph by Stefan Cohen) learned about the death of fellow…
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* Notes * British conductor Edward Gardner led the San Francisco Symphony in an audience-pleasing concert of Holst’s The Planets and Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor last night. Gardner has a lot of energy and ideas, and the orchestra sounded wonderfully shimmery. I had never heard The Planets live, and the piece…
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* Notes * The 2025 Adler Fellows (pictured, photograph by Kristen Loken) had their concert last Friday at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco. Every season we see and hear these apprentice artists in supporting roles on the main stage of San Francisco Opera, so it is nice to have a program completely focused on them.…
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* Notes * Ercole Amante (ovation pictured, photograph by author) premiered at ODC Theater from Ars Minerva this past weekend. The piece by Antonia Bembo was written in 1707 and features absolutely beautiful music. It is startling that Ars Minerva can keep finding these obscure operas that are all so lovely. The production directed by…
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* Notes * The Monkey King (Act I pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) had a world premiere last night at San Francisco Opera. Composed by Huang Ruo and with a libretto by David Henry Hwang, this new opera is a spectacular piece of theater. Director Diane Paulus’ production features puppetry, projections, and dancing. Basil Twist’s…
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* Notes * Last night was the fifth and final performance of Parsifal at San Francisco Opera. I attended in balcony standing room and the sound of the orchestra under Maestra Eun Sun Kim was better than ever, lucid and shimmering. The chorus is likewise very powerful and together. The singing was strong though tenor…
The Opera Tattler 