William Burnett

In this four-part series I have identified several major changes in the direction of the San Francisco Opera, under the new leadership of David Gockley. The series has sought to put four operas, each of which I felt was presented in exemplary performances in Fall of 2007, into a wider perspective. The three previous parts … Read more

Previously, I have cited the San Francisco Opera production of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly”, conceived by Ron Daniels with sets by Michael Yeargan, as an extraordinary experience.  The production, utilizing modern techniques of stagecraft, set design and lighting technique, sets out to recreate the emotional impact that a performance of the David Belasco’s English language play had on Puccini. … Read more

The last time that Puccini’s “La Rondine” was given in the San Francisco Opera’s main season, the Magda was Spanish soprano Lucrezia Bori (born in 1887) and the Ruggero was the Florentine tenor Dino Borgiolo (born in 1891). The opera performed it once. It has returned for its Main Season for seven additional performances in … Read more

San Francisco Opera is not quite at the trailing edge of productions contracted for by its former General Manager, Pamela Rosenberg. Her successor, David Gockley, is in a period where he benefits from the good choices for the company’s future that she made, while being able to distance himself from some of her commitments that … Read more

While additional lengthy reviews of opera performances by the San Francisco and Houston Grand Operas are prepared, as a change of pace, we are posting Tom’s review of a delicious presentation of Lehar’s “The Merry Widow” at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, as the 2007 Czech Opera Prague’s tour journeys to the Far … Read more

Houston Grand Opera’s second production of its 2007-08 season was its first mounting of Donizetti’s “La Fille du Regiment” since Beverly Sills performed Marie in 1973. Much has changed in the ensuing 34 years. Ironically, both Sills and Luciano Pavarotti, the greatest Tonio of the 20th century – probably, the greatest of all time – … Read more

The Houston Grand Opera’s first offering of their 2007-08 season was Verdi’s “Ballo in Maschera”. The cast proved a worthy one, with strong performances from Ramon Vargas (Riccardo), Ewa Podles (Ulrica), Carlo Guelfi (Renato) and Lyubov Petrova (Oscar), and an auspicious role debut from Houston Grand Opera studio alumna Tamara Wilson. Patrick Summers conducted. The … Read more

William and I were both present at the October 14th matinee of the San Francisco Opera production of Philip Glass’ “Appomattox”, recounting the end of the American Civil War.  It was presented in the War Memorial Opera House, itself built to commemorate the end of World War I – the War to end all Wars. … Read more

Those of us who spend most of our time in the Northern hemisphere may know very little about the work of operatic stage director Moffatt Oxenbould, most of it associated with the Opera Australia in Sydney. His most renowned production is of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly”, which premiered at Opera Australia in 1997, and has been … Read more

As a patron who has been attending performances of the San Francisco Opera for over half a century, and have been a subscriber for 48 consecutive seasons, I had expressed concern at the slow decline in the quality of performances at the War Memorial Opera House, beginning in the mid-1980s, which I felt accelerated in … Read more

In the third week of October 2005 Pamela Rosenberg, still General Director of the San Francisco Opera, was minding the dress rehearsals for a borrowed physical production of Bellini’s “Norma” so tacky that Rosenberg, with the candor that might be her most likeable feature, told the San Francisco press that she wished she had had … Read more

Wagner’s ten major operas are about Northern Europe in “times of distant past”. Eight of them directly or indirectly deal with the issues of the old gods of ancient times, and their replacement by the newer idea of one God in Heaven, who oversees Christian peoples. For readers who find this a strange proposition, consider … Read more

Returning to Santa Fe Opera’s summer season is always a maximum delight. Each summer we anticipate fabulous productions set in the most sublime outdoor setting conceivable. Between operas we enjoy dining on Santa Fe’s unique cuisine, presented in spectacular and abundant regionally-perfect restaurants, and dallying in some of the 250+ art galleries! [Below: Dancers (in … Read more

The following review is from guest reviewer, Thomas Rubbert: Last night we came, we saw, and we were conquered by L. A.’s spectacular new “Fidelio” which garnered the longest line of ticket-seekers I have seen at the Music Center. The L. A. audience roared in unison at the triumphant end as Grant Gerson’s Los Angeles … Read more

Zurich was warmer than usual for late September when soprano Malin Hartelius set down to eat a mid-day meal with her children. At the Zurich Opera House, veteran conductor Nello Santi, celebrating what would become an unforgettable birthday, raised his baton for the Zurich season’s second performance of Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”. [Below: Conductor Nello Santi; … Read more

Paris is the first stop in my 2007-08 pilgrimage “In Quest of Donizetti” that I have planned to honor the 50th anniversary of Leyla Gencer’s first Donizetti role, Lucia di Lammermoor – her role debut taking place at the San Francisco Opera. In Paris, I experienced the first revival of Laurent Pelly’s imaginative staging of … Read more

Those anticipating my review of Saint-Saens’ “Samson et Dalila” at the San Francisco Opera know that I have already highlighted the production in a earlier web-page as a best bet for seeing a world class performance. As I approached this evening, I wondered what I was was going to say in my review of this … Read more

Forward by William: In my most recently posted review, I proposed that the wider world begin to recognize the San Francisco Opera as one of a limited number of the world’s opera companies with the capacity to produce Richard Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” as it should be presented. Tom, who has contributed his own reviews on … Read more

The following correspondence has been received from Tom, our principal guest reviewer, on the latest offering of the Los Angeles Opera: Placido Domingo – opera superstar tenor and now impresario – has long wanted to introduce Los Angeles opera audiences to the delights of Spanish zarzuela – the uniquely Spanish light opera very much in … Read more