The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: Zheng Cao
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Mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao died of cancer yesterday at age 46 in San Francisco. Cao was a participant of the Merola Opera Program in 1994 and was an Adler from 1995 to 1996. Cao was seen in 16 productions at San Francisco Opera including roles in The Bonesetter’s Daughter (pictured left as Ruth Young Kamen, photograph…
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Mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao's most recent PET scan revealed that she has multiple sites of cancer progression in her bones. She recently sang in Vancouver Opera's Nixon in China and Madama Butterfly. SF Chronicle Article | Official Site | Journal
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Remarkably, mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao seems to be recovering from her Stage IV cancer. Chronicle Article | Journal
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* Notes * A performance of recent songs by Jake Heggie closed Music at Meyer's 2009 Season on Monday. Emily Albrink began the evening by singing Rise and Fall, four songs set to texts by Gene Scheer, accompanied by Heggie himself on piano. Albrink's soprano is cold and bell-like, she was particularly good in the last…
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Sadly, mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao has been diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. Suzanna Guzmán is taking over Cao’s role of Suzuki at San Diego Opera in Madama Butterfly, which opens this weekend. Journal | Official Site
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* Notes *The opening performance of The Bonesetter's Daughter proved to be a rather maudlin and self-indulgent affair. The beginning was promising, the call of the suona players from the Grand Tier was regal and imposing, and the aerial acrobatics combined with projections of water and fire during the overture were impressive. The first trio of Ruth (Zheng Cao),…
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* Notes * The Merola Opera Program's Auditions for the General Director were yesterday evening, and this was a first opportunity to hear all the 2008 Merolini in a single go. Before the auditions began I found my opera mentors, the Ryans, and B. Ryan told us we should put ourselves in David Gockley's shoes and…
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* Notes * Yet another revival of Madama Butterfly opened today at San Francisco Opera. When I heard this opera was added to the season, I wondered if I would avoid it. I was pretty bored by it already the last time it was here in the summer of 2006, despite not having seen it…
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