Thomas Rubbert

Barrie Kosky’s and Suzanne Andrade’s production of Mozart’s perennial favorite fantasy opera, last seen in 2013, proved so popular that it was quickly revived for a second showing with a new cast. In our previous review, the concept and origins of the production was described in great detail [Outrageously Inventive, Unceasingly Entertaining – Kosky/Andrade /Barritt’s Silent … 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

Two years ago, the most wildly enthusiastic, cheering, vociferous happy audience I’ve seen in the 50-year history of the San Diego Opera (I’ve attended since Day One) greeted Mexican composer Jose “Pepe” Martinez’ opera performed by the Mariachi Vargas De Tescalitlan band. [See my previous review at Operatic mariachi: “Cruzar la Cara de la Luna” – San Diego Opera, … Read more

A fully dressed Mariachi stand-up orchestra in silver-studded black traditional Mariachi costumes with huge straw Sombrero hats in an Opera House performing an Opera, you ask in disbelief? [Below: the Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitan amidst representations of monarch butterflies; edited image, based an Edward Wilensky photograph, courtesy of the San Diego Opera.] Surely you jest, you say, but no … Read more