Month: July 2017

Santa Fe Opera mounted Rimsky-Korsakov’s exotic opera “The Golden Cockerel [Le Coq d’Or]” British Director Paul Curran partnered with Irish Set and Costume Designer Gary McCann and New York Projections Designer Driscoll Otto to create an eye-pleasing, humor-filled production, but one whose dark symbolism foretells the destruction of an autocratic monarchy. Venera Gimadieva’s Queen of … Read more

Composer Mason Bates and librettist Mark Campbell were commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera to write an opera about Apple, Inc’s  Steve Jobs. This was Bates’ first opera. [For my review of an opera with a Campbell libretto, see Pictures at an Exhibition: John Musto’s Opera “Later the Same Evening” Brings Edward Hopper’s Art to Life: … Read more

The 2017 Glimmerglass Festival has taken on a challenging project, breathing life into a 181-year old Donizetti opera that had virtually disappeared from performance in Europe and had never been performed in the United States. A young cast proves their skills in singing Donizetti’s well-crafted score. Francesca Zambello, the Festival’s artistic and general director, demonstrates … Read more

Under the leadership of Conductor Nicole Paiement, an elegantly performed, beautifully sung performance of Handel’s late career masterpiece, “Xerxes” was presented by seven young Glimmerglass Festival artists. Handel’s charming work provided opportunities for the seven young American artists to demonstrate their mastery of Handel’s story-telling recitative, soulful legato passages and florid vocal ornamentation in Handel’s succession … Read more

The 2017 Glimmerglass Festival has mounted a rousing Molly Smith production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” with a highly entertaining cast. It represents the seventh consecutive year that the Glimmerglass Festival has celebrated the American musical, fulfilling the vision of the festival’s artistic and general director, Francesca Zambello. Jarrett Ott’s Curly In his Glimmerglass Festival … Read more