by Charles Kruger The second opera of the Ring Cycle, “Die Walkürie” opens far from Valhalla, the home of the gods, outside the cabin of the huntsman Hunding (Raymond Aceto) and his unwilling bride, Sieglinde (Karita Mattila). The action begins while Hunding is away, and a stranger, Siegmund (Brandon Jovanovich) flees from the forest into […]
by Charles Kruger Word has it that the final performance for the short run of Richard Strauss’s “Elektra” presented by SF Opera is very nearly sold out. If you can, consider trying to purchase one of the remaining seats, or wait for a cancellation, or stand in line for standing room tickets. Why? Because it […]
by Charles Kruger It was the best of times and the worst of times last week, as we attended two revivals at the San Francisco Opera: “Rigoletto” and “Don Giovanni.” The experience was a lesson in what can go right and wrong with a revival. Ideally, a revival should capture the best aspects of the […]
by Charles Kruger So, the first thing to know about “Aida” is that it is one of the most popular operas ever written, with thousands of performances, all over the world. In terms of spectacle, story, sweep, and grandeur it is the very definition of “opera” — from its most sublime to its most silly. […]
by James Lorenzato, Guest Reviewer Five stars for an operatic masterpiece performed by consummate singers. The SF Opera’s “Don Carlo” gives one a sense of accomplishment. This is real opera, long, entangled, and everybody ends up wretched or dead. One feels one has run the opera version of Bay to Breakers. They should have passed […]
by Charles Kruger Rating: ***1/2 (For an explanation of TheatreStorm’s rating scale, click here.) If you are up to your neck in Christmas puffery (not that I don’t love “A Christmas Carol” or “The Nutcracker”), a dose of Poe may be just what the doctor ordered. The San Francisco Opera, in collaboration with the Welsh National Opera, […]
by Charles Kruger Rating: ***** (For an explanation of TheatreStorm’s rating scale, click here.) SF Opera’s new production of “Lucia di Lammermoor” captures our imaginations immediately with Scenic and Projection Designer Erhard Rom’s amazing, cinematic evocation of rural Scotland as the fog pours over the stage amidst convincing clouds that seem to hug the ground. The […]
