Three of the world’s most popular operas were written by Italian composers Giuseppe Verdi (“La Traviata”) and Puccini (“La Boheme” and “Tosca”), all three of which I am scheduled to review over the next year.
Tosca (Puccini), San Francisco Opera, October 3, 7(m), 11, 14(m), 17, 20, 23, 26 and 30, 2018.
Robert Innes Hopkins designs a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” for the San Francisco Opera. Shawna Lucey directs.
Carmen Giannattasio performs Tosca and Brian Jagde is Mario Cavaradossi. Scott Hendricks is the Baron Scarpia.
[Below: Carmen Giannattasio sang the title role in the San Francisco Opera’s new production of Puccini’s “Tosca”; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
Other roles are sung by Dale Travis (Sacristan), Joel Sorensen (Spoletta), Andrew G. Manea (Sciarrone) and Christian Pursell (The Jailer). Maestro Leo Hussain conducts.
[For my performance review, see: Review: An Appealing New “Tosca” for San Francisco Opera, October 3, 2018.]
La Boheme (Puccini), Houston Grand Opera, October 26, 28(m), November 3, 6, 10 and 11(m), 2018.
John Caird’s production of “La Boheme” (one of my very favorites) travels to Houston to open the Houston Grand Opera’s 2018-19 season. HGO celebrates the company’s return to its Wortham Center after its season out of its opera house, which was so badly damaged by Hurricane Harvey.
[Below: Rodolfo (Ivan Magri, left) introduces himself to his neighbor, Mimi (Nicole Heaston, right); edited image, based on a Lynn Lane photograph, courtesy of the Houston Grand Opera.]
Nicole Heaston is Mimi; Ivan Magri is Rodolfo. Michael Sumuel is Marcello with Pureum Jo performs the role of Musetta. Geoffrey Hahn (Shaunard), Federico de Michelis (Colline) and Hector Vasquez (Benoit and Alcindoro) complete the cast. Maestro James Lowe conducts.
[For my performance review, see: Review: Back Home for “Bohème” – Houston Grand Opera, November 10, 2018.]
La Boheme (Puccini), Santa Fe Opera, June 28, July 3, 6, 12, 19, 29, August 3, 7, 12, 17, 20 and 24, 2019.
Santa Fe Opera’s 2019 season opens with Puccini’s “La Boheme”. Mary Birnbaum directs a new production with scenic design by Grace Laubacher and costumes by Camellia Koo.
Mario Chang is Rodolfo, Vanessa Vasquez is Mimi, Zachary Nelson is Marcello and Kirsten Mackinnon is Musetta.
[Below: Rodolfo (Mario Chang, left) and Mimi (Vanessa Vasquez, second from left), watch as Musetta (Gabriella Reyes, left center) leads a marching band; edited image, based on a Ken Howard photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
Schaunard is Will Liverman and Colline is Soloman Howard. Dale Travis is Benoit and Alcindoro. The conductor is Maestro Jader Bignamini.
[For my performance review, see: Review: A Magnificent Mimi Leads a Youthful “Boheme” Cast – Santa Fe Opera, June 28, 2019.]
La Traviata (Verdi), Glimmerglass Festival, July and August, 2019, performance dates and casts to be announced.
The Glimmerglass Festival has announced that a Zambello “Traviata” will be one of the four MainStage productions of its 2019 season, although specific details still are to be announced..
[Below: Amanda Woodbury as Violetta; edited image of a Connor Lange photograph, courtesy of the Glimmerglass Festival..]
This is an opera that has had Francesca Zambello’s recent attention. Her production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Peter Davison’s sets have been a popular offering of Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater for the past half decade. The Washington National Opera will feature Zambello’s “La Traviata” this Fall.
[For my performance review, see: Review: Zambello’s Intriguing “Traviata” – Glimmerglass Festival, July 15, 2019.]
This list is supplementary to previous lists in this “Quests and Anticipations” series of selected operas being performed through August 2019:
Mozart’s “Idomeneo” at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” at the San Diego Opera, Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito” at the Los Angeles Opera and Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at the Houston Grand Opera [See In Quest of Mozart Operas (October 2018-April 2019).
Donizetti’s “Roberto Devereux” at the San Francisco Opera [See In Quest of Rossini and Donizetti – June-September, 2018.]
Verdi’s “Don Carlo” at the Los Angeles Opera and Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” at the Seattle Opera [See In Quest of Verdi Operas, March 2018-January 2019.]
Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci” at the San Francisco Opera [See In Quest of “Core” Verismo Operas, February-September, 2018.]