Tag Archives: Verdi

Rigoletto Review – SF Opera’s Stunning Setting of Verdi’s Masterpiece

Posted on September 23, 2012 by philip

It is 8:00 PM, on Saturday, September 7, 2012.  Last night San Francisco Opera opened its 89th season with Verdi’s Rigoletto.  However, tonight will be “opening night” for the three principal members of the cast –Albina Shagimuratova (Gilda), Marco Vratogna (Rigoletto), and Francesco Demuro (The Duke of Mantua), since the company is splitting the 12 September performances between two casts.  Continue reading »

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Attila SFOpera Review – Not Verdi’s best, but the music was beautiful

Posted on June 27, 2012 by philip

Any way you look at it, Attila is not your usual opera.  Continue reading »

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Aida Review – West Bay Opera presents a gem of a production

Posted on May 26, 2012 by philip

Last night, Friday May 25, 2012, I saw my third different production of Aida in three years.  In a sense, I can honestly say that each of them is the “best” that I have ever seen:   The MetHD in 2009 was the best HD, San Francisco Opera in 2010 was the best large-theatre, and last night’s West Bay Opera was the best small-theatre.  Continue reading »

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La Traviata MetHD Review – Minimalism Carried Too Far

Posted on May 2, 2012 by philip

I have just seen the MetHD Encore performance of Willy Decker’s stunning production of Verdi’s La Traviata, having had to miss the Live performance on April 14, 2012.  Writing a review after the final performance (both the HD and the Lincoln Center held their final performance today, May 2, 2012) has one distinct advantage.   Continue reading »

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La Traviata II – Further thoughts after seeing 2 more (complete) performances

Posted on March 7, 2012 by philip

Here’s the Opera Nut again with a few more thoughts after two weeks and two complete performances of La Traviata.  Continue reading »

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La Traviata Part 1 – A Thrilling Rendition of an Old Favorite

Posted on February 15, 2012 by philip

Our church service each Sunday includes a section called “Caring and Sharing” at which we are invited to share our “Joys and Sorrows”.  Well, what happened to me after the service last Sunday, February 12 2012 was both a Joy and a Sorrow.  The Joy was seeing and hearing Rebecca Davis as Violetta in Opera San José’s production of  La Traviata  Continue reading »

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Macbeth – an ROH production of Verdi’s darkest opera

Posted on August 7, 2011 by philip

Verdi’s Macbeth is a dark opera. It is relentlessly dark. There is no hint of a chuckle, no glimmer of romance anywhere in it. Of course, Shakespeare’s play is pretty dark, Continue reading »

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Rigoletto in Mantua – A movie shot live in the Duke’s hometown

Posted on May 18, 2011 by philip

Rigoletto is not like any other character in all of opera. Continue reading »

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Il Trovatore – It all came together

Posted on April 30, 2011 by philip

Saturday, April 30, 2011: During the 5 minute countdown to the start of today’s opera Ellen asked me, “Is this your favorite opera?” I replied to the effect that all operas are my favorites, all Verdi operas are my special favorite operas, but Il Trovatore is not one of my special special favorite Verdi operas. Continue reading »

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La Traviata – Classic Opera at its Best

Posted on March 14, 2011 by philip

I suppose in theory that I could eventually get tired of seeing and hearing Verdi’s La Traviata – but it would take more than the seven performances I have seen of four different productions of it during the past year. Continue reading »

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