Review: Joyce DiDonato, Nicole Cabell Sing Beautifully in Bellini’s Bel Canto “Capulets and Montagues” – San Francisco Opera, September 29, 2012

There are several reasons to revive Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “I Capuleti e i Montecchi”, anglicized as “The Capulets and the Montagues”. The most compelling reason is  the presence in the opera’s cast of singers capable of doing justice to Bellini’s often complex and always extraordinarily beautiful melodies, so soulful that they inspired Chopin’s piano preludes … Read more

Review: Ildebrando D’Arcangelo’s Roguish Libertine, James Conlon’s Impressive Conducting, in Insightful “Don Giovanni” – Los Angeles Opera, September 22, 2012

The first month of the 2012-13 season Los Angeles Opera season has been designed to showcase the legendary talents of the opera company’s general director Placido Domingo and music director James Conlon. Conducting six performances of Verdi’s “The Two Foscari [I Due Foscari]” and five of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”, Conlon is scheduled to be the … Read more

Review: Domingo, Meli, Poplavskaya Shine in Strassberger’s Rousing Revival of Verdi’s “Two Foscari” – Los Angeles Opera, September 15, 2012

A sellout Los Angeles Opera audience greeted Placido Domingo with an out-sized ovation for his latest exploration of the less-traveled baritone repertory. Domingo opened the Los Angeles Opera’s 26th season as Francesco Foscari in a provocative new Thaddeus Strassberger production of Verdi’s sixth opera, “I Due Foscari”, with the scenic designs of Kevin Knight and … Read more

Review: Lucic, Kurzak, Praiseworthy in Season Opening “Rigoletto” – San Francisco Opera, September 7, 2012

For the fourth season in a row, San Francisco Opera’s music director, Nicola Luisotti, prior to a performance of Verdi’s “Rigoletto”, led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a rousing Star-Spangled banner to open the San Francisco Opera’s Fall Season (this the 90th in its history). As in the three previous years, the opera chosen … Read more