Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
“Tosca” and “Madama Butterfly” are two of the most performed operas in the United States. Below are four productions I am scheduled to review between the months of October 2015 and December 2016. Tosca (Puccini), Houston Grand Opera, October 23, 24, 31, November 3, 6 and 14, 2015. British director John Caird created his imposing production of Puccini’s “Tosca” … Read more
My review of the San Francisco Opera 2015-16 season opener [Review: Michael Fabiano’s Star Ascends in Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” – San Francisco Opera, September 11, 2015] praised the lead tenor, entire cast, conductor, orchestra and stage direction. One follows, when one can, the great operatic voices singing at their prime in live performance, so I made … Read more
Tom’s Review of Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci” continues his observations of the Los Angeles Opera’s double bill, the first offering of the company’s 2015-16 season. [See Review: Domingo Dominates Double Bill: Part 1 “Gianni Schicchi” – Los Angeles Opera, September 24, 2015.] After an intermission which clearly was too short for Maestro Domingo (who had just completed singing the title … Read more
Los Angeles Opera launched its 30th Opera Season with two operatic treasures beautifully joined in an evening featuring one of the world’s true Superstars of Opera, Placido Domingo. He not only sang, but, later in the evening, he also conducted — in short, running the whole show! [Below: Gianni Schicchi (Placido Domingo, left) gestures as … Read more
Having reported on the two performances that introduced Lee Blakeley’s production of Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” first to Houston [Review: “Sweeney Todd” at Houston Grand Opera: Nathan Gunn, Director Lee Blakeley Make a Compelling Case for Sondheim as Opera, April 24, 2015] and then to San Francisco [Review: Searing Performances by Brian Mulligan and Stephanie Blythe for … Read more