Month: December 2014

Historical Performances: Joan Sutherland, Ilosfalvy, Waechter in “La Traviata” – San Francisco Opera, November 5, 1964

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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 last of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. My final performance of the 1964 San Francisco Opera season was Verdi’s “La Traviata” … Read more

Historical Performances: Shostakovich’s “Katerina Ismailova” with Marie Collier, Jon Vickers – San Francisco Opera, October 31, 1964

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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 twelfth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. The final offering of the Fall 1964 San Francisco Opera season was the … Read more

Historical Performances: “Il Trovatore” with McCracken, Ella Lee, Warfield, Wolansky – San Francisco Opera, October 24, 1964

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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 eleventh of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. My first live performance ever of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” took place with dramatic … Read more

Historical Performances: “Turandot” with Birgit Nilsson, Franco Tagliavini, Lorengar, Tozzi – San Francisco Opera, October 22, 1964

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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 tenth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. Having sung two performances as Leonore [see Historical Performances: Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, … Read more

Historical Performances: Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, Geraint Evans in “Fidelio” – San Francisco Opera, October 17, 1964

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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 ninth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. The next offering on my Saturday subscription series to the San Francisco Opera … Read more

A Conversation with Lyric Coloratura Soprano Laura Claycomb, Part 2

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This continues a conversation that began with A Conversation with Lyric Coloratura Soprano Laura Claycomb, part 1.   [Below: Soprano Laura Claycomb; resized image of a Sergio Valente photograph, courtesy of Laura Claycomb.] Wm: In your performance as Adele in Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus,” Houston Grand Opera has announced that they are using microphones for the … Read more

Historical Performances: “Nabucco” with Gobbi, Kuchta, Tozzi, Janis Martin – San Francisco Opera, October 15, 1964

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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 eighth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. On Thursday night October 15th, I added another opera to supplement my 1964 … Read more

A Conversation with San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley

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The following conversation with San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley took place in the administrative offices of the San Francisco Opera, whose facilitation of this conversation is greatly appreciated. It has updated my previous interviews with him [See An Interview with San Francisco Opera’s David Gockley, Part 1 and  An Interview with San Francisco Opera’s David Gockley, Part 2.]   [Below: … Read more

A Conversation with Lyric Coloratura Soprano Laura Claycomb, part 1

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The following conversation with soprano Laura Claycomb began in the administrative offices of the Houston Grand Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is greatly appreciated. It has updated my previous interviews with her [See Rising Stars: An Interview with Laura Claycomb, Part 1 and  Rising Stars: An Interview with Laura Claycomb Part 2] and has continued subsequently on a wide … Read more

Historical Performances: Tito Gobbi as Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi – San Francisco Opera, October 10, 1964

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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 part of the seventh of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. I reported on the first half of a double bill … Read more

Historical Performances: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s “Carmina Burana” Revived at San Francisco Opera – October 10, 1964

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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 part of the seventh of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. In 1958, the set and costume designs of Jean-Pierre … Read more

Historical Performances: Bizet’s “Carmen” with Regina Resnik, Jon Vickers and Pilar Lorengar – San Francisco Opera, October 9, 1964

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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 sixth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. Even after a decade of attending operas, I had not seen my first … Read more

Historical Performances: “Nozze di Figaro” with Geraint Evans, Grist, Lorengar, Waechter – San Francisco Opera, October 3, 1964

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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 fifth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. Experiencing, within a three week period a new production of Wagner’s “Parsifal” and … Read more

Historical Performances: Ella Lee, Dalis, Kuchta, Waechter, Martell in “Frau ohne Schatten” – San Francisco Opera, September 26, 1964

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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 fourth of 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. Although Richard Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten” was my third opera on my Saturday … Read more

“Hey, Figaro!”: A Conversation with Baritone Lucas Meachem

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Previously, I conducted a two-part interview with baritone Lucas Meachem, which can be accessed at Rising Stars: An Interview with Lucas Meachem, Part 1 and Rising Stars: An Interview with Lucas Meachem, Part 2. The following conversation took place in anticipation of Meachem’s scheduled appearance as Figaro in Corigliano’s “Ghosts of Versailles” at the Los Angeles Opera. [Below: Lucas … Read more

Historical Performances: Schwarzkopf, Seefried, Edelmann, Grist in “Der Rosenkavalier” – San Francisco Opera, September 24, 1964

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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 13 such observances of performances from the company’s 1964 Fall season. San Francisco Opera during the early years of the long-play record was a regular … Read more