Reviews, appreciation and analysis of all things opera
William Burnett 
[A note from William: this website began its existence in November 2005, less than two months before David Gockley became the sixth General Director in the history of the San Francisco Opera. Over the past four years, I have reviewed each of the productions that has been presented in San Francisco during the “Gockley Era”. … Read more
Houston Grand Opera presented Wagner’s “Lohengrin” in a new production co-developed with the Grand Theatre de Geneve. The co-production premiered in the Swiss city in 2007. [Below: Patrick Summers, Music Director of Houston Grand Opera conducts his first “Lohengrin” series; edited image, based on a Terrence McCarthy photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.] The … Read more
Nicola Luisotti, in his first season as Music Director of the San Francisco Opera, has demonstrated command of both the Italian and non-Italian operatic repertory – in September with Verdi’s “Il Trovatore”, in October with Richard Strauss’ “Salome”. In November Luisotti brought forth his conceptualization of Verdi’s dramatic masterpiece, “Otello”. He assembled a cast of … Read more
Lyric Opera has done immeasurable service to the cause of Early Verdi by creating a stylish new production of the Maestro’s megahit of 1844, “Ernani”. In consonance with the beautiful sets was a matching musical performance led by the conducting of Renato Palumbo, with a lustrous cast of principals, whose performances further confirm my belief that … Read more
Observances of the sesquicentennial of Gounod’s “Faust” begin this year – the 150th anniversary of the first version of what proved to be a revolutionary opera. To this day more popular than any French opera that preceded it, its influence on both later French and Italian opera was profound. The only French opera that exceeds … Read more
As related in the first article in this series, the Los Angeles Opera is mounting three cycles of Wagner’s four opera “Ring of the Nibelungs” in May and June 2010. A year later the San Francisco Opera will present the “Ring” in an entirely different production, with a different conductor and an almost completely different … Read more
Performances of Richard Strauss’ “Salome”, which can still be made to look very wicked even a century and half a decade after its scandalous (and lucratively successful) first performances, can be memorable. Those with long memories of performances of this work at San Francisco Opera will recall some of the most exciting afternoons and evenings … Read more
Vive la France! Donizetti’s late period comic masterpiece, “La Fille du Regiment”, not heard at San Francisco Opera for 16 years, introduced the lively imagination of French producer Laurent Pelly to the War Memorial Opera House. [Photo: Marie (Diana Damrau) attends to the 21st Regiment’s laundry and ironing; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver … Read more
During the 65 years that spanned the first three general directorships of the San Francisco Opera, Mozart’s “Die Entführung aus dem Serail”, usually translated as “The Abduction from the Seraglio”, was never presented by the main company. Since 1990, it has been mounted in two productions in three separate seasons. The second of these is … Read more
Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” was the San Francisco Opera’s choice for the opening night of its 2009-2010 season. It met all of the criteria that any operatic management would hope its season opener would have – a gala cast, each member at the top of his or her form, performing a popular work in a distinguished … Read more
The Los Angeles Opera presented the third production of the Achim Freyer’s conceptualization of Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungs”. Conducted by James Conlon and starring John Treleaven as Siegfried, Linda Watson as Bruennhilde and Vitalij Kowaljow as the Wanderer, it proved a musically strong performance. Continuing Freyer’s vivid imagery, it provided another opportunity to watch the … Read more
William: I had the opportunity in Santa Fe to conduct an interview with Elza van den Heever, at whose San Francisco Opera stage debut I was present in June 2007, and who was Santa Fe’s Donna Anna in this summer’s presentation of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”. With virtually all artists I interview, we discuss various milestones … Read more
San Francisco Opera’s performance of Puccini’s “Trittico”, utilizing sets from the New York City Opera, continued with “Gianni Schicchi”, the third one act opera of the evening. The opera, like “Tabarro”, is only 50 minutes long. (“Suor Angelica lasts an hour.) But unlike the sombre “Tabarro” and woeful “Angelica”, “Gianni Schicchi” is a merry caprice, … Read more
San Francisco Opera’s “Trittico”, utilizing sets from the New York City Opera, continued with “Suor Angelica”, the second opera of the evening. “Suor Angelica” is the least performed of the Puccini operas written since the Tuscan Maestro hit his stride with “Manon Lescaut” in 1893. Debuted around the period of the Great War, it presented … Read more
San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley, on assuming his position at the beginning of 2006 stated that all of the operas of Puccini’s maturity would be seen at the San Francisco Opera in the next few seasons. Thus began a series of great Puccini performances, including Karita Mattila and Mischa Didyk in “Manon Lescaut” … Read more
An opera company often builds its “opening nights” of a season around the presence of major opera stars. An opera is selected for them that will appeal to opening night audiences, which include a considerable representation of those patrons on whose support the company depends. It is important that everything go well. Los Angeles Opera … Read more
Nicola Luisotti, the San Francisco Opera’s newly installed Music Director opened the company’s 87th season, conducting Verdi’s “Il Trovatore”. By tradition in American opera houses, the season opener is preceded by the orchestra accompanying the audience in singing the Star-Spangled Banner. All were aware that this first official act of the new Music Director was … Read more
Wm: Last year, you were in Santa Fe for the new production of Britten’s “Billy Budd”? What was it like working with Paul Curran the production designer-director and that cast? LM: It was a truly great experience. Curran is an awesome director. Not only did I play the role of Donald, but I covered Teddy … Read more
Wm: What life experiences did you have before you became an opera singer? LM: My first job was at age 15, in swimming pool construction, but I always sang in church and in the house. I grew up in the tiny town of Carthage in South Central North Carolina, where there are no inter-urban freeways. … Read more
Seattle Opera concluded its first cycle of Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungs” with “Götterdämmerung”, the longest and most ambitious opera in opera’s standard repertory. The daunting requirements of this piece tax any opera company producing it. Not only did Seattle Opera succeed admirably, it seems certain that no opera company has ever achieved the razzle … Read more
The Seattle Opera’s Stephen Wadsworth – Thomas Lynch “Ring of the Nibelungs” moved into “Siegfried”, the third opera of Wagner’s expansive tetralogy. With a fairy tale storyline (which has always seemed to me to be the exposition of Prince Charming’s adventures on the way to awaken Sleeping Beauty), Siegfried overcomes the intrigues of evil dwarves, … Read more
“Die Walküre”, the second opera in the Seattle production of Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungs” by Stephen Wadsworth and Thomas Lynch, returns with a cast that combines veterans of the work’s 2005 Seattle performances with newcomers in key roles. Returning are Greer Grimsley as Wotan and Stephanie Blythe as his Wotan’s wife, Fricka, in towering … Read more
Stage director Stephen Wadsworth returns to Seattle for the second revival of his now world famous Seattle Opera production of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen”. Wadsworth’s conception of the work closely follows Wagner’s intentions and stage directions in an era in which the “Ring” is presented in ways its author-composer could not possibly have imagined. … Read more
Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” for 0ver 22 decades has provided opportunities for many different interpretations of how to portray the famous Spanish nobleman of uncommon appetites and his impact on the lives of seven people on the final day of his life on earth. Lucas Meachem, Santa Fe Opera’s latest Don, has developed his own take … Read more
