Tag Archives: MetHD

Siegfried MetHD – A Star is Born

Posted on November 22, 2011 by philip

The advance program said that Gary Lehman would sing the part of Siegfried and listed Jay Hunter Morris as his cover.  A week before opening night, Lehman was forced to cancel for health reasons, and Morris took over the role with only one dress rehearsal left before opening night.  He is certainly a quick learner.  Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Satyagraha – Philip Glass’ monumental tribute to Gandhi

Posted on November 19, 2011 by philip

I approached Satyagraha at 10:00 A.M. this morning, Saturday November 19, 2011 with great anticipation – and the performance I witnessed exceeded my highest expectations.  Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Don Giovanni MetHD – Second Production this Season

Posted on November 2, 2011 by philip

The advance program said that James Levine would be the conductor.  The program at the theater door listed Fabio Luisi as the conductor.  At intermission, RenÉe Fleming interviewed Maestro Luisi and we found out that he was the Met’s new Principal Conductor.  Obviously there was a story here. Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Anna Bolena – Anna: Netrebko IS Bolena

Posted on October 18, 2011 by philip

A wonderful extra to the Met HD Performances is the lengthy intermission with its interviews.  For the Met HD Live on October 15, 2011, there was a small difference.  The performance started five minutes early, and hostess RenÉe Fleming used that time to interview title star Anna Netrebko in her dressing room.  Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Die Walké¼re at the Met – Part II of Wagner’s epic cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen

Posted on May 27, 2011 by philip

PART I    THE OPERA

Last October, as the final curtain descended on Das Reingold, we left our heroes, The Aesir (the gods) ascending the magic rainbow bridge to their new home, Valhalla. Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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 »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Capriccio – Strauss’ Last Opera

Posted on April 29, 2011 by philip

Let’s play a little game. Match the three Strauss operas in List A with the three words in List B. Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Le Comte Ory – Rossini’s Last Opera is pure unadulterated joy

Posted on April 9, 2011 by philip

We had a real sense of “being there” this morning, April 9 at the Cinemark Theatre in Palo Alto. At approximately five minutes after ten a. m., hostess RenÉe Fleming informed us that half an hour ago (i. e. about 12:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time) tenor Juan Diego Flé³rez had been at his wife’s side as she had given birth to a baby boy – and in a couple of minutes he would be on stage in the title role of today’s opera, Le Comte Ory. Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Kiss Me Lucia di la Mancha – A glorious musical weekend

Posted on April 7, 2011 by philip

What a fantastic 31 hours! Lucia di Lammermoor in Met HD starting at 10 am Saturday March 19 2011, continuing with the Gunn High School performance of Kiss Me, Kate Saturday evening, and ending at 5 pm Sunday when the curtain came down on Man of La Mancha performed by Symphony Silicon Valley as the final 2010-2011 Broadway in Concert series. Continue reading »

Posted in Musical Review | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IphigÉnie en Tauride – Gluck turns Euripides’ play into a modern opera

Posted on April 5, 2011 by philip

The music, singing, acting, and story are all so good that I want to get one of my pet peeves out of the way before I start reviewing the opera. My peeve is not with any aspect of this Met HD production, but with Christoph Willibald Gluck and his librettist Nicolas-Frané§ois Guillard. The story is about a bunch of Greeks, so what business has a Roman goddess got interfering in their affairs? It should be Artemis! But Gluck says Diana, and since I’m reviewing Gluck’s opera, I’ll have to go along with it. But under protest, mind you. Continue reading »

Posted in Opera Review | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment