Tag Archives: Pocket Opera

Marriage of Figaro – Servants outsmart masters; women outsmart men; what is the world coming to?

What a contrast! A couple of weeks ago I spent 17 hours in 6 days seeing Wagner’s 4 glorious Ring operas with all their significance, dramatic music, and deep emotions without even a chuckle of humor. Last week I spent approximately the same number of hours in 8 days attending 3 operas, a play, and two play-readings all of which were light, filled with laughter, and (for the operas) musically hummable. Continue reading »

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Italian Girl in Algiers – Brave Heroine Rescues Helpless Hero from Fate Worse than Death

What’s not to like? Music by Rossini – always pleasant and hummable; Improbable plot – so what else is new in opera; happy ending – I mean really happy – good guys get what they want and bad guys turn out to be not bad at all. You walk out of the theatre humming melodies, chuckling, and feeling good. Continue reading »

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The Cat Transformed into a Woman – The last of two one-act operas separated by one intermission and millions of emotional miles

It was a somber crowd that meandered back into the auditorium after the intermission of Cav & Cat. But we didn’t stay somber very long. All of us Pocket Opera regulars know that the combination of Donald Pippin’s translation and Jacques Offenbach’s music will leave us laughing and humming regardless of the particular title. And it only took Donald’s two-sentence introduction to start the new members of the audience chuckling. Continue reading »

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Cavalleria Rusticana – The first of two one-act operas separated by one intermission and millions of emotional miles

A true music lover (male) is defined as a man who hears a girl singing in her bathtub and puts his ear to the keyhole. There were no bathtubs around to test this definition, but judging by the number of happy faces in the lobby at intermission there were a lot of music lovers in the audience at Pocket Opera this afternoon. Continue reading »

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Manon – A “Dinner with Donald” Event

Manon is not my favorite opera. A statement that is praising with faint damns, since I like almost all opera. Continue reading »

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Elixir of Love – Potent Potion Produces Rare Riotous Romance

If you enjoy light-hearted opera by such composers as Offenbach, Lehar, Gilbert and Sullivan, you are bound to like Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. Particularly when it is sung in English with Donald Pippin’s libretto. And enjoy it, I did – but not quite as much as I expected to. Continue reading »

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Pocket Opera La Traviata – Even smaller is even better

Before I begin my review, I want to make a confession.  I love opera.  In particular, I love opera-in-the-small.  I show that love by writing these reviews and by my support for two small local opera companies.  I am a member of the  West Bay Opera Guild and a member of the Pocket Opera Board of Directors. Continue reading »

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Armida and Rinaldo Review – or The Crusader and the Magician

Our San Francisco Splash Opera Nut is presenting readers with two very different operatic interpretations of the same classic legend.  Continue reading »

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La Vie Parisienne Review – Offenbach is often back with Pocket Opera

Pocket Opera has seen many changes in its 33 years of existence, but this weekend I encountered three traditions that continue year after year.   They always produce at least one Offenbach Opera Bouffe, they always produce at least one concert style opera by Handel, and they always present some of their performances at alternative venues.  So –  Continue reading »

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La Rondine Review – Twice is Nice

San Francisco Splash Operanut is at it again; this time a weekend of one opera by two companies.  Continue reading »

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