Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
William Burnett 
Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian’s American debut took place at the San Francisco Opera in the title role of Puccini’s “Tosca”. Performing a role she was singing for the first time, her gleaming soprano filled the War Memorial Opera House. Her second act showpiece Vissi d’arte received the great ovation that one expects from San Francisco audiences for a first rank … Read more
The San Francisco Opera was founded in 1923 but did not perform its first regular season opera composed by George Friderick Handel until 59 years later when Handel’s most performed operatic work, ‘Giulio Cesare”, was first mounted. In the 32 San Francisco Opera seasons that followed the 1982 “Cesare” eight different Handel operas have been performed. The eighth … Read more
This continues the series of conversations that I have had with British opera director John Pascoe. This is the second of three parts of the conversation that will memorialize Dame Joan Sutherland. OM. DBE, AC. who (in John’s own words (“passed into legend”) on 10th October 2010. This part follows: Homage to Dame Joan Sutherland: A Conversation with Director John … Read more
This continues the series of conversations that I have had with British opera director John Pascoe. This is the second of three parts of the conversation that will memorialize Dame Joan Sutherland. OM. DBE, AC. who (in John’s own words) “passed into legend” on 10th October 2010. This part follows: Homage to Dame Joan Sutherland: A Conversation with Director John … Read more
This continues the series of conversations that I have had with British opera director John Pascoe. The following three parts of the conversation will memorialize Dame Joan Sutherland. OM. DBE, AC., who passed into legend on 10th October 2010: [Below: Dame Joan Sutherland in the final act of Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena” in the 1988 Royal Opera House … Read more
Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera”, loosely based on the historical assassination of Swedish King Gustavus III at a masked ball, is an iconic Verdian opera, which has a lustrous performance tradition at the San Francisco Opera.. [Below: King Gustavo (Ramón Vargas, front, second from left) has decided to ignore the advice of the Chief Magistrate (A. … Read more
The following interview took place at the War Memorial Opera House, home of the San Francisco Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is deeply appreciated. [Below: Composer Carlisle Floyd; edited image, based on a publicity photograph, courtesy of Carlisle Floyd.] Wm: Often, I ask artists whom I interview about their childhood interests in music. That … Read more
This interview took place on the “ranch” of the Santa Fe Opera, whose facilitation of the interview is deeply appreciated. [Below: Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley; edited image of a publicity photograph, from www.greergrimsley.com.] Wm: What are your earliest memories of music? GG: I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, so there was no lack of … Read more
This post continues from A Conversation with Director-Designer John Pascoe, Part 2 regarding his international career in opera stage direction and production design. We have committed to posting an ongoing series of discussions on his career influences and on a variety of opera-related subjects. [Below: John Pascoe in the year 1980; resized image of a personal photograph, courtesy of … Read more
Earlier this month, I praised Carlisle Floyd’s 1955 opera “Susannah” in its new San Francisco Opera production [see Review: Racette, Aceto, Jovanovich in Brilliant New Production of “Susannah” – San Francisco Opera, September 6, 2014]. Seeing the opera in this production once again, I was impressed with the glories of the musical score and the dramatically gripping … Read more
My review of the opening night of the San Francisco Opera 2014-15 season (and of its new production of Bellini’s “Norma”) was posted a week ago [See Review: Sondra Radvanovsky’s Stunning Season Opening “Norma” – San Francisco Opera, September 5, 2014.] In that review I had praised the artistry of the Norma, Sondra Radvanovsky, and the … Read more
There was much to admire in the Los Angeles Opera’s 2014-15 season-opening production of Verdi’s “La Traviata’ – the expert conducting of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra by its music director James Conlon; Arturo Chacon-Cruz’ silky-smooth lyric tenor used so effectively in an ardent portrayal of Alfredo Germont; a strong cast in the supporting roles; … Read more
This interview was conducted on the Ranch of the Santa Fe Opera. The facilitation of this interview by the Santa Fe Opera and the Washington National Opera is deeply appreciated. [Below: Conductor Carolyn Kuan; edited image, based on a professional photograph, courtesy of Carolyn Kuan.] Wm: Where were you raised as a child? CK: … Read more
In celebration of the San Francisco Opera’s new production of Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah”, I am reposting an essay on the opera that was originally written as part of a review for an Opera Pacific performance. (For my review of the San Francisco Opera performance, see: Review: Racette, Aceto, Jovanovich in Brilliant New Production of “Susannah” – … Read more
In a few weeks, Carlisle Floyd’s great opera “Susannah” will be 60 years old. To place that fact in the context of other operas in the standard repertory, consider that when “Susannah” had its premiere, Puccini’s “Turandot” was 29 years old and George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward’s “Porgy and Bess” was only 20 years old. “Susannah’s” … Read more
For the first time in the 92-year old history of the San Francisco Opera, Bellini’s “Norma” was chosen to launch the company’s Fall season. The role of Norma, the Druid priestess whose secret affair with a Roman proconsul has produced two children, is considered a pinnacle of early 19th century bel canto Italian opera. Illinois soprano Sondra Radvanovsky … Read more
The following continues a conversation that first took place as interviews set up by the Houston Grand Opera and San Diego Opera [Rising Stars: An Interview with Raymond Aceto, Part 1] and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden [Rising Stars: An Interview with Raymond Aceto – Part 2] and has continued at the Dallas Opera and the Santa Fe Opera … Read more
In anticipation of San Francisco Opera’s September 5, 2014 opening night of the 2014-15 season, in which a new Kevin Newbury production of Bellini’s “Norma” will be unveiled, I am reposting my essay of the dramatic logic of “Norma” that I originally posted on November 29, 2005, in concurrence with a previous production of “Norma”. … Read more
This feature highlights selected performances of operas in Chicago, Houston, San Diego and Los Angeles that I am scheduled to review. This list is supplementary to previous lists in this “Quests and Anticipations” series of selected operas being performed from September, 2014 through Summer, 2015. The operas noted in the previous lists are Verdi’s “La Traviata” … Read more
The following interview was conducted in on the “ranch” of the Santa Fe Opera, whose facilitation of this interview is gratefully acknowledged. [Below: Soprano Joyce El-Khoury; resized image of a publicity photograph, courtesy of Joyce El-Khoury.] Wm: What were your earliest memories of music? JEK: I was born in Lebanon of Lebanese parents. My grandfather George … Read more
The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is deeply appreciated. [Below: Dramatic soprano Christine Goerke; resized image of a publicity photograph, from christinegoerke.com.] Wm: You were raised in Long Island, New York. What were your earliest musical experiences? CG: Well, there were no professional musicians in my … Read more
This post continues from A Conversation with Director-Designer John Pascoe, Part 1. John has generously permitted me to pursue a much more in-depth discussion of the factors that led and allowed him to pursue an international career in opera stage direction and production design. We have committed to posting an ongoing series of discussions on his career … Read more
This feature highlights selected performances of operas in San Francisco, Chicago, Houston and Santa Fe that I am scheduled to review. This list is supplementary to previous lists in this “Quests and Anticipations” series of selected operas being performed from September, 2014 through Summer, 2015. The operas noted in the previous lists are Verdi’s “La Traviata” … Read more
The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation of this interview is gratefully acknowledged. [Soprano Yunah Lee; resized image of a publicity photograph.] Wm: What were your earliest memories of music? YL: I grew up in South Korea. When I was a child, the only place that I … Read more
The following interview took place in the administrative offices of the Glimmerglass Festival, whose facilitation is deeply appreciated. [Below: Lyric coloratura Rachele Gilmore; edited image, based on a Dario Acosta photograph, courtesy of Rachele Gilmore.] Wm: What are your earliest memories of music? RG: I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware of music. My … Read more