Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the third of ten observances of performances from the company’s 1963 Fall Opera season. Fifty years ago, I had a job operating the dishwashing machine … Read more
Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the second of ten observances of performances from the company’s 1963 Fall Opera season. On September 13, 1963, Leontyne Price opened the 1963 … Read more
The San Diego Opera, whose early years were noted for such adventurous excursions into 19th century French opera as Thomas’ “Hamlet”, Saint-Saens’ “Henry VIII” and Chabrier’s “Gwendoline”, has emerged as one of America’s current champions of the French opera repertoire. In the past seven seasons the San Diego Opera has created new productions of Bizet’s … Read more
The Florida Grand Opera presented a revival of Bellini’s “La Sonnambula”, respectfully staged – as it was in 2007 – by Renata Scotto, herself one of the greatest protagonists of the title role in the 1960s and 1970s. The revival provided the opportunity to hear two young American artists, Georgia’s Rachele Gilmore as Amina and … Read more
Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the first of ten observances of performances from the company’s 1963 Fall Opera season. La Stupenda in San Francisco My first opera of the 1963 … Read more