The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Uncategorized
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* Notes * A staged production of Alcina (Nikola Printz and Courtney Miller pictured, photograph by Stefan Cohen) opened at Festival Opera in Walnut Creek on Friday evening. The singers were all perfectly cast and the playing clean and neat The Hofmann Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts is a good fit for…
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* Notes * An impressive revival of Elektra (pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) opened at San Francisco Opera on Sunday afternoon. The orchestra sounded lush but clear under the baton of Maestra Eun Sun Kim and the singing was stellar. The opera is situated in a museum of Ancient Greek artifacts juxtaposed with different scenes…
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* Notes * The Barber of Seville (finale pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) was performed for the third time this summer at San Francisco Opera. It was fascinating to hear the first cast, which I missed last week. The singers are so different and it is such a joy to hear the various interpretations of…
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* Notes * The summer season of San Francisco Opera opened with a busy production of The Barber of Seville last week, with an alternate cast that performed yesterday. The proceedings under Maestro Benjamin Manis were a bit messy, with some synchronization issues between the orchestra and the singers. Emilio Sagi’s very bright 2013 production…
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* Notes *Opera Parallèle gave the world premiere of the chamber version of Douglas J. Cuomo’s Doubt last night in San Francisco. The playing and singing were all up to the very fine standards of this company. Based on John Patrick Shanley’s play of the same name, the libretto, also by the same author, is…
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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…
The Opera Tattler 