Reviews

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the ninth of fourteen such observances of performances from the company’s 1966 Fall season. In the mid-20th century, the San Francisco Opera, following the practice of … Read more

This is the second of two discussions of DVDs of productions of classic American musicals performed by the San Francisco Opera, following DVD Review: Francesca Zambello, the American Musical and the San Francisco Opera, Part I: “Show Boat”. Each DVD is of a production conceived and staged by director Francesca Zambello.\ David Gockley, San Francisco Opera’s … Read more

[Below: Canadian baritone Elliot Madore; resized image of a Cryil Mater photograph.] Wm: I like to know the earliest memories that my interview subjects have of music? What are yours? EM: My love of music was fostered at a young age singing with my school choir. I vividly recall being utterly taken and transfixed by … Read more

Sarasota Opera’s 2020 winter season opened in February with a production of Puccini’s “La Boheme”, the quintessential Italian opera. I reviewed the ninth of 13 scheduled performances. Sarasota Opera’s “Boheme” was well-sung and admirably staged. Regrettably, one week after the performance, the fast-moving spread of the Covid-19 virus led the Sarasota Opera to cancel the … Read more

Sarasota Opera’s 2020 winter season included Donizetti’s 1832 operatic comedy, “The Elixir of Love (L’Elisir d’Amore)”, presented in an attractive production with a strong cast.