Category Archives: Opera Review

Lucia di Lammermoor – Mary Zimmerman’s Production is Still Tops

Posted on March 27, 2011 by philip

Two years ago I saw the MetHD performance of the Mary Zimmerman production of Lucia di Lammermoor starring Anna Netrebko in the title role. This was before I knew about SPLASH, but I was so impressed that I wrote about the opera afterwards just to express my own reactions. 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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Elixir of Love – Potent Potion Produces Rare Riotous Romance

Posted on March 1, 2011 by philip

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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Turandot – A small opera company takes on a big opera – and produces a masterpiece

Posted on February 21, 2011 by philip

I love West Bay Opera and was thrilled to find that their production of Turandot by Puccini more than held its own in comparison to the Met HD’s performance.

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Nixon in China – John Adams’ opera is relentless

Posted on February 19, 2011 by philip

You may not necessarily enjoy Nixon in China by John Adams but you may be in danger of being ensnared or seduced by it.
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The Barber of Seville – Always delightful

Posted on February 17, 2011 by philip

How can anyone not like Rossini’s The Barber of Seville? The music is so light-hearted and tuneful, the good guys are so sweet and simple, the bad guys are so ridiculous you can’t hate them, the love story is so predictable, and the details of the plot are so absurd – what is there not to like? Continue reading »

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Carmen from Barcelona – No Harmony

Posted on January 15, 2011 by philip

Sunday, January 9, 2011. I settle comfortably in my seat in the Camera 7 Cinema in Campbell. The lights go down, the picture comes on, and I am transported to the Gran Teatre del Liceu de Barcelona, an old-fashioned newly restored theater. Continue reading »

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Girl of the Golden West – Deborah Voigt is pure gold

Posted on January 9, 2011 by philip

In 1907 Giacomo Puccini was in New York for the American Premiere of his latest opera Madama Butterfly.  While there he saw David Belasco’s play, The Girl of the Golden West, and remarked, “That is my next opera.” Continue reading »

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Don Carlo – A Great Production on the Whole

Posted on December 20, 2010 by philip

“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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Cosé¬ Fan Tutte from London – Mozart Reduced to Essentials

Posted on December 10, 2010 by philip

Many many years ago my father took me to a performance of Cosé¬ Fan Tutte.  The only thing I remember about that experience is that during the intermission I told my father how disgusting I found the behavior of Guglielmo and Ferrando.  They expect their sweethearts to be pure and true and faithful to them, while they are perfectly free to test them in this sneaky underhanded way.  Dad explained to me that one shouldn’t take operatic characters too seriously; just enjoy the music and the comic situations they get themselves into.  Good advice then, and very apt for the production from the Royal Opera House which I attended December 4, 2010. Continue reading »

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