Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
The following summarizes the story line of the third opera of Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungs”, with my impressions of three very different approaches to performing the opera, from respectively the Seattle Opera, Los Angeles Opera and San Francisco Opera. For the two previous features in this series, see: Gods and Nibelungs on the Pacific Coast: the … Read more
This is the fourth report on the first complete performance of the tetralogy of operas that comprise Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelung”. Although most of concept director Francesca Zambello’s ideas for staging the work have surfaced over the past five years, as the first three of the four operas debuted with Washington National Opera at … Read more
San Francisco Opera’s first complete performances of “Der Ring des Nibelungens” in a dozen years, continued with “Siegfried” in Francesca Zambello’s reconceptualization of Wagner’s tetralogy of operas, based on American images. In reflecting on Zambello’s concept, one of its striking features is portraying the tetralogy’s major characters as “downwardly mobile” – exemplified in “Das Rheingold” … Read more
This is the fourth time I have reviewed Francesca Zambello’s reconceptualization of Wagner’s “Die Walküre”, the second installment of the four opera “Ring of the Nibelungs”. The Wotan and Brünnhilde for three of the reviewed performances, respectively, were Mark Delavan and Nina Stemme. The Sieglinde for two of the performances was Anja Kampe, and I … Read more
When the ideas for Francesca Zambello’s American Ring, a 21st century relocation of Wagner’s four opera “Der Ring des Nibelungen” to North American shores, was first announced in mid-decade by the Washington National Opera and San Francisco Opera, a number of broad themes were envisioned that incorporated features of American history, environmentalism, and the role of … Read more
The facilitation of this interview by the Dallas Opera and by the Houston Grand Opera is gratefully acknowledged: For the first part of this inteview, see: Rising Stars: An Interview with Laura Claycomb, Part 1. [Below: Laura Claycomb as Gilda; edited image, based on a Karen Almond photograph, courtesy of the Dallas Opera.] Wm: In … Read more
The facilitation of this interview by the Dallas Opera and by the Houston Grand Opera is gratefully acknowledged: [Below: Coloratura soprano Laura Claycomb, promotional photograph, courtesy of Laura Claycomb.] Wm: Although born in Corpus Christi, you grew up in Metropolitan Dallas, Texas, where your mother gave music lessons in your home and you sang in … Read more
A few articles back I was trumpeting the good marksmanship of SFO boss Kurt Herbert Adler in hiring strong, interesting conductors. Surely none of his finds was better than Niksa Bareza, a Croatian with excellent credentials (Scala, Bolshoi, Vienna etc.) who studied with the great Hermann Scherchen, pillar of Westminster Records’ wonderful catalog in the … Read more
For the past half decade Francesca Zambello’s vision of an American Ring – that would present Richard Wagner’s four opera “The Ring of the Nibelung” utilizing images and situations evocative of the history and culture of the United States – has been unfolding. Conceived as a joint project of the Washington National Opera and San Francisco … Read more
A bravura Samson in the French heroic style sung by German tenor Endrik Wottrich (who replaced an ailing Jose Cura for the remainder of Cura’s scheduled performances); a credible vocal performance by Vesselina Kasarova as Dalila, whose role debut occurred just two weeks earlier; a rousing delivery as the Grand Priest by Laurent Naouri; and … Read more
In 2010, a new production of Offenbach’s operetta “La Périchole” at the Komische Oper’s 1270 seat opera house in Berlin proved controversial, with negative reviews and reports of claque booing. It was revived in 2011. Undaunted by the previous year’s critical scoldings, I decided I would see for myself as to whether the revival of a production … Read more
