The last time Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” was seen at Santa Fe Opera in 1999, the world was on the brink of a new millennium. Nineteen years later, this masterpiece finally saw a brilliant return to the Crosby Theater, in a new production by director Tim Albery and set and costume designer Tobias Hoheisel. Though “Ariadne auf Naxos” is now considered one {…}
This review is for the performance on July 13, 2018. At the Prague Summer Nights Festival, a festival featuring young artists, the first few weeks saw a number of splendid concerts, workshops, and competitions all hosted in a city famous for its musical history. As the festival readied to draw to a close, it would do so by staging some {…}
In 2012, a version of Handel’s “Rinaldo,” written for Naples in 1718, was discovered in a castle in England. It is a reconstructed version, by a lesser-known baroque composer, Leonardo Leo, who had also included parts by Vivaldi and numerous other composers. This pastiche is the version that is being performed at the Festival della Valle d’Itria, 300 years after {…}
Caramoor ended its summer festival with a special treat for opera lovers, a concert with Susan Graham, accompanied by the always-fabulous Orchestra of St. Luke’s, led by Nicholas McGegan. Once again, the weather on the leafy estate of Caramoor, with its sumptuous gardens and grounds, was a perfect match to the delightful and intriguing program. The first part of the {…}
There is something so intimate about the theater at Santa Fe Opera. Though intimacy may not be the word in mind for the over 2,000 seat semi-outdoor theater, it was magical to watch the setting sun as the backdrop for Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” It’s a treat reserved specifically for the New Mexican audience. Director Lee Blakely’s melancholy production of “Madama {…}
At the turn of the 18th century, Naples was an important centre for innovation and performance in the opera world. In 1706, Michelangelo Faggioli premiered his opera “La Cilla,” the first of a new form of comedy opera, sung in the Neapolitan dialect, based around a light-hearted plot, focused upon domestic and family affairs, which reflected the bourgeoise values of {…}
This review is for the performance on Sunday, July 29, 2018. Beginning on Saturday, July 28, 2018, Teatro Nuovo’s Bel Canto Festival has opened with their production of Rossini’s “Tancredi.” The festival aims to showcase seldom-seen works that are able to enchant audiences, and their production of Giovanni Simone Mayr’s “Medea in Corinto,” does that and more. Due to being {…}
Last summer, amidst Caramoor’s summer festival, I got a chance to informally talk to Jeff Haydon, the CEO of the music and arts center that happens to be in my home town of Katonah. I was told that Caramoor’s long-time successful operatic series “Bel Canto at Caramoor,” headed by Will Crutchfield, would be leaving. Crutchfield, after decades at Caramoor, was {…}
Now in its third season, “The Crypt Sessions,” continues to bring world-class talent to Harlem’s Church of the Intercession for a night of music produced by Unison Media. July 24’s concert saw leading operatic tenor Lawrence Brownlee, joined by pianists Myra Huang and Damien Sneed, letting loose with a variety of songs from Classical, Jazz, Gospel, and more. Brownlee began {…}