Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
This feature highlights selected performances of operas in San Francisco, Chicago, Houston and Santa Fe that I am scheduled to review. This list is supplementary to previous lists in this “Quests and Anticipations” series of selected operas being performed from September, 2014 through Summer, 2015. The operas noted in the previous lists are Verdi’s “La Traviata” … Read more
The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation of this interview is gratefully acknowledged. [Soprano Yunah Lee; resized image of a publicity photograph.] Wm: What were your earliest memories of music? YL: I grew up in South Korea. When I was a child, the only place that I … Read more
The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is deeply appreciated. [Below: Lyric coloratura Rachele Gilmore; edited image, based on a Dario Acosta photograph, courtesy of Rachele Gilmore.] Wm: What are your earliest memories of music? RG: I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware of music. My … Read more
Bizet’s “Carmen” was the opera chosen for the 2014 Santa Fe Opera season’s opening night. It’s a dressy night, one the ritual occasions for tuxedos and subtly colored bow ties. Parties abound both in town, and “on campus”, including the elaborate parking lot tailgate parties for which the Santa Fe Opera is famous [Review: Stephen Lawless’ Creative New “Carmen” … Read more
The state of New Mexico styles itself as the “Land of Enchantment”. The state’s major opera company, the Santa Fe Opera, created its own Land of Enchantment, a mythical China inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Nightingale”. The extraordinary evening is the product of the brilliant mind of Michael Gieleta, a Polish born … Read more