December 6, 2010
“Mathis le peintre” at L’Opéra National de Paris
Painting with music
On November 16, the Opéra National de Paris, debuted a production of Paul...
opera
November 24, 2010
English National Opera’s “A Dog’s Heart”
“6 January (entries made partly in pencil, partly in violet ink): Today, after the dog’s tail had fallen out, he quite clearly pronounced the word ‘liquor.’ Recording apparatus switched on. God knows what’s happening. (Total...
November 13, 2010
Makropulos Case at SF Opera
Stars and shadows at War Memorial Opera House
Acting at the San Francisco Opera House? Real seize-the-moment acting? Yep.
Karita Mattila sang the title role in a lurid thriller that...
October 29, 2010
English Touring Opera presents Goehr’s “Promised End”
Promised End
Taking on King Lear is no small matter. Not simply because it was written by Shakespeare—what could be more daunting?—but also because the play...
October 27, 2010
Placido Domingo in Cyrano at War Memorial Opera House
In a rare appearance world-renowned tenor Placido Domingo took the stage at the SF Opera House in the title role of Cyrano de Bergerac.
It was a mesmerizing performance.
Set to Edmond Rostand’s immortal text, composer Franco Alfano premiered the opera in 1936, and though it was successful it disappeared from the repertoire for many years. Domingo encouraged its return, and the...
October 15, 2010
Madama Butterfly at SF Opera
A dream and a dream…
San Francisco Opera’s production of Madama Butterfly, by Giacomo Puccini, stressed the magical surrealism of dream Friday night. Director Jose Maria Condemi and set designer Clarke Dunham created a miniature realm of fragile tranquility and stylized movement. The backdrops represented nature as if from a painted silk shoji screen, while the hilltop cottage, rotated by...