The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Uncategorized
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* Notes * Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (pictured, photograph by Dario Calmese) made an annual stop at Cal Performances in Berkeley earlier this month. The company has a new artistic director, Alicia Graf Mack, a former dancer at Alvin Ailey. The opening performance on April 7 was exceptional. I absolutely loved Medhi Walerski’s Blink…
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* Notes * Festival Opera held a Spring Soirée at Piedmont Center for the Arts last Sunday, March 29. The weather was splendidly warm, and as the venue does not have air conditioning, I was glad I was wearing a light, fluffy gown. The afternoon included a silent auction, a paddle raise Fund A Need,…
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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…
The Opera Tattler 