Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
Here is the sixth in Arthur Bloomfield’s occasional series of Time Machine trips into the world of opera three or four generations ago, focusing on the conductors’ art. [Conductor Vittorio Gui; resized image of a historical photograph.] VITTORIO GUI (1885-1975) It’s not my habit to lunch with countesses, but some years ago thanks to the … Read more
The following interview took place at the Santa Fe Opera Ranch the day before Mr Lomeli’s festival debut as Rodolfo in Puccini’s “La Boheme”. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera is gratefully acknowledged. [Below: Tenor David Lomeli; edited image of a promotional photograph.] Wm: You grew up in Mexico City and … Read more
The following interview took place at the Santa Fe Opera Ranch the day after Ms Pérez’ festival debut as Marguerite in Gounod’s “Faust”. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera is gratefully acknowledged. See part one of this interview at: Rising Stars – An Interview with Ailyn Pérez, part 1. [Below: Lyric … Read more
The following interview took place at the Santa Fe Opera Ranch the day after Ms Perez’ festival debut as Marguerite in Gounod’s “Faust”. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera is gratefully acknowledged. Wm: You were raised in the Chicago area. When and where were your earliest memories of opera? AP: I … Read more
The interview took place at the Santa Fe Opera Ranch prior to opening night of the 2011 Summer Festival. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera is gratefully acknowledged: Wm: You are from South Carolina, and were raised in a musical family. When did you first become aware of opera, and … Read more
The interview took place at the Santa Fe Opera Ranch prior to opening night of the 2011 Summer Festival. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera is gratefully acknowledged: [Below: Tenor Paul Groves; edited image of a promotional photograph.] Wm: You are from Lake Charles, Louisiana. When did you first hear opera, … Read more
Perhaps there are other long-time opera goers besides myself that have a special opera, for which every performance they have ever attended has been a world class, memorable event with a cast that within a few years becomes to be thought of as legendary. Mine is Puccini’s “La Boheme”. I have never seen the opera … Read more
No Gounod opera (and a disproportionately low number of French works in general) was performed in the first 54 seasons of the Santa Fe Opera’s acclaimed Summer Festivals. The 2011 festival (the 55th) opened with a new production of “Faust”, which restored virtually all of the cuts made to the world’s second most popular (after Bizet’s … Read more