Tag Archives: Verdi

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

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

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Il Trovatore – It all came together

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

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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Don Carlo – A Great Production on the Whole

“The whole is equal to the sum of its parts.”  Obvious, isn’t it?  Ten dimes are worth exactly one dollar.  One quart of milk will precisely fill four 8-ounce glasses.  Four 30-second ads totally use up one 2-minute time out.  But wait.  If you pour one cup of sand and one cup of water into a two cup container, there’d be lots of room left over.  If you have 2 ounces of ice-cream in an 8-ounce glass and suddenly add 6 ounces of root beer, you’ll be mopping up a lot of black cow. Continue reading »

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La Forza del Destino – A Gripping Story of Honor, Love, Revenge, and Redemption

The plot of La Forza del Destino is really very simple.  Leonara and Don Alvaro are in love.  Alvaro kills Leonora’s father and brother.  He sends Leonora to her dying brother who kills her.  Of course, there are some extenuating circumstances … Continue reading »

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Aida – A New Definition of Spectacular

The magic begins with the outer curtain.  When we take our seats on the side aisle in row S, we see an enormous black triangle in a field of scrolled gilt. Continue reading »

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La Traviata (Fremont Opera) – A Summer of Camellias

In May I saw West Bay Opera’s production of Verdi’s operatic version of Dumas’ play Lady of the Camellias three times, and in June I went twice to the Pocket Opera version.

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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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Simon Boccanegra Review – Pla¡cido Domingo as the Doge of Genoa

Dear Fellow Opera Lovers:
Before you do anything else – before you even finish reading this review – go to the website of your nearest theatre which shows European HD operas  Continue reading »

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La Traviata – Getting It Right

Opera at Its best is a combination of music, acting, and a story.  Although music is generally considered the most important of these three, I look upon them all as essential.  And in the act of creation of an opera, the story usually comes first.  In 1852, Verdi saw the new play, Lady of the Camellias by Alexandre Dumas fils, walked out of the theatre saying that must be my next opera, and presented the first version of La Traviata only a year later.  Continue reading »

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