Month: June 2018

Review: Elliot Madore, Marisol Montalvo Perform Liza Lim’s “Tree of Codes” – Spoleto Festival-USA, June 4, 2018

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The Spoleto Festival-USA, which encompasses a wide range of performing arts, scheduled two mainstage operas, neither before seen in the United States. One (Donizetti’s “Pia de’ Tolomei”) was from the early 19th century, the other (Lim’s “Tree of Codes”) premiered in Germany in 2016. Australian composer-librettist Liza Lim’s “Tree of Codes” is inspired by the … Read more

Review: Donizetti’s “Pia de’ Tolomei” at Spoleto Festival-USA, June 3, 2018

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The Spoleto Festival-USA imported Italian director Andrea Cigni’s production of Donizetti’s rarely-performed 181-year old opera, “Pia de’ Tolomei”. Amanda Woodbury’s Pia Lyric coloratura soprano Amanda Woodbury performed the role of Pia, exhibiting vocal control, expressiveness and brilliant technique. [Below: Pia (Amanda Woodbury, right, facing forward) explains who her suspicious visitor was to Ghino (Isaac Frishman, left, … Read more