With an absorbing production of Peter Grimes and a freshly spontaneous La bohËme, Canadian Opera Company has set the bar very high indeed for its current season.
Author: john_y
Armide, Amsterdam
There is a cornucopia of ideas on display in Gluck’s Armide at Amsterdam’s Het Muziektheater, but sadly only a few of them seemed to serve the piece.
London’s Vespers Ring the Right Bells
Even before it opened, Royal Opera’s Les vÍpres siciliennes was the must-see production of the season.
Intriguing Duo in San Francisco
Venerable San Francisco Opera kicked off its fall season with a wholly pleasing revival of a landmark production, complemented by an engrossing world premiere.
Glimmerglass: Major League Move
“World-class” is an encomium often used indiscriminately by promoters and publicists but in light of Glimmerglass Festival’s triumphant Der Fliegende Holl‰nder the press office has my full encouragement to use the phrase loud and often.
Central City Opera: Rocky Mountain High
Central City Opera’s meticulous staging of Our Town makes as good a case as is likely possible for Ned Rorem’s operatic version of that classic play.
Musical Fireworks in Iowa
‘Tis the season for aerial starbursts, and for my money more than a few rockets could be sent up to laud Des Moines Metro Opera.
St. Louis: Winner and Still Champion
With the world premiere of Champion, the enterprising Opera Theatre of Saint Louis set the bar very high indeed for the summer festival season.
Toronto’s Triple Success
If a recent trio of musically superlative performances at Canadian Opera Company is indicative of their norm, the casting director should get a hefty bonus.
Mulhouse: Rare Britten Well Done
National Opera Company of the Rhine has marked this year’s Benjamin Britten celebration with a remarkably compelling, often gripping new production of the seldom-seen Owen Wingrave.