The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Category: Željko Lučić

  • SF Opera’s Opening Night Rigoletto

    * Notes * The 90th season of San Francisco Opera got off to a fine start last night with Rigoletto, at least once opening night formalities were out of the way. Though not exactly precise, the orchestra bustled with enthusiasm, and Maestro Nicola Luisotti kept the music moving. The chorus sang with characteristic vigor. This revival…

  • Rigoletto at the Met

      * Notes * Saturday evening's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera was a study in extremes. On one hand, Diana Damrau gave a revelatory performance, her Gilda ranged from giddily sweet to utterly devastating. She inhabited the character with complete conviction. Her "Caro nome" was incredible. On the other hand, our Duke, Giuseppe Filianoti, left much…

  • Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2008-2009 Season

    October 2 2008- July 24 2009: Macbeth October 4-11 2008: Das Gehege / Salome October 5 2008- July 13 2009: Norma October 19-25 2008: Die Bassariden October 23- November 2 2008: Eugene Onegin November 1-6 2008: Die Entführung aus dem Serail November 8 2008- May 21 2009: Der fliegende Holländer November 10 2008- January 31…

  • Macbeth Live in HD Met Simulcast

    * Notes * The Met's simulcast of Macbeth aired today. The production, by Adrian Noble, is new to the Met and opened October 22, 2007. Set after World War II, Mark Thompson's set and costumes are dark, lots of black, grey, olive, khaki. There were many leather jackets and machine guns, Banquo, for example, seemed…

  • Don Alvaro o La Fuerza del Sino

    San Francisco Opera's new production of Verdi's La Forza del Destino, directed by Ron Daniels, opened last Wednesday. They used the revised 1869 version and not the 1862 version that premiered in St. Petersburg. In this revised version Don Alvaro does not throw himself off a cliff, and there is something of a sense of…

  • La Traviata

    The alternate cast for San Francisco Opera’s La Traviata was stunningly good. The perennial favorite, soprano Ruth Ann Swenson, was replaced by Mary Dunleavy in the last two performances. Swenson is very precise, her tone is extremely sweet and bell-like. Dunleavy is perhaps more vital, her voice is very strong. Baritone Željko Lučić sang beautifully…