(Photo credit: Cory Weaver) The West Coast premiere of “The Handmaid’s Tale“, by composer Poul Ruders and librettist Paul Bentley fills the War Memorial Opera House with a performance as harrowing as the dystopic story itself. Delayed by the pandemic from its originally scheduled debut, the co-production of San Francisco Opera (SFO) and the Royal Danish Theatre runs through October {…}
(Photo: Camilla Winther/Royal Danish Opera) San Francisco Opera is set to present the West Coast premiere of Poul Ruders and Paul Bentley’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The work based on Margaret Atwood’s novel was originally scheduled for the 2020–21 Season and was delayed by the pandemic. The work will be conducted by Karen Kamensek and will be directed by John Fulljames, {…}
(Photo Credit: Bernd Uhlig) There is something unique about waiting for the curtain to rise on “Götterdämmerung.” Anyone who has followed a “Ring” in the theatre, may take their seat in sadness as this evening will end the journey through the most fabled, mythical and symbolic landscape of all. Though the images and sentiments confronted in any given production condition {…}
(Photo: Bernd Uhlig) “Siegfried” is a deceptively complicated opera, perhaps one of the most difficult in all “Der Ring” to pull off both musically and scenically. The main reason is that much of Wagner’s storytelling brings its characters to realizations within themselves, with inner drives and motivations lashing out often in vehemence and violence. What’s more, the once-recognizable leitmotifs are {…}
(Photo by Bernd Uhlig) I’m back in Berlin, a city I favor and enjoy so much, ready for yet another Ring cycle at Deutsche Oper, a large, comfortable 1850-seat theatre boldly designed in the Modernist style and simply ideal for large-scale productions. And none comes much larger than those penned by Giacomo Meyerbeer, Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner Therefore, with {…}
(Photo credit: ©Kerry Hallihan, ©Rod Evans, ©Caitlin Odham ©Holli Egerstrom) The American Symphony Orchestra and the Bard Festival Chorale present Antonin Dvořák’s “Requiem,” Op. 89 on Jan. 25 at Carnegie Hall. Soprano Leah Hawkins, mezzo-soprano Lindsay Ammann, tenor Joshua Blue, and bass Stefan Egerstrom serve as soloists in one of the composer’s lesser-known choral works. They are joined by the Bard {…}
(Credit: Suzanne Vinnik) Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced that the American heldentenor Clay Hilley will perform the title role in Wagner’s “Siegfried,” replacing Simon O’Neill. Hilley will join a cast that includes Iain Paterson in the role of Der Wanderer, Nina Stemme as Brünnhilde, Markus Brück in the role of Alberich, Tobias Kehrer as Fafner, Lindsay Ammann as Erda, and {…}
(Credits: © Sasha Arutyunova / Ashley Plante / ARSIS Artists official website / Jonathan Tetelman official website) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced plans for the rest of the 2020-21 season. Berlin’s largest opera house has been quite cautious in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and has only published the monthly schedule. The Deutsche Oper Berlin will reopen its {…}