Archive for the ‘Operafest’ Category
11/24/18 – William Tell – 1pm
Opera Southwest William Tell by Gioachino Rossini libretto by Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy and L. F. Bis Performed in French OVERVIEW William Tell – more than just an overture. The last opera he ever wrote and considered Rossini’s magnum opus, William Tell tells the dramatic story of the Swiss legend. You’ve probably heard the overture while watching reruns of The Lone Ranger, and know the […]
11/17/18 – Semiramide – 1pm
Opera Delaware Semiramide by Gioachino Rossini, libretto by Gaetano Rossi SUNG IN ITALIAN Photos by Joe del Tufo, Moonloop Photography 2 Hours, 40 Minutes OVERVIEW Based on Voltaire’s tragedy Semiramis, Rossini’s final Italian opera (1823) about a power-hungry Babylonian Queen who murdered her husband does NOT end happily ever after! This rarely-performed tour de force is a sumptuous masterpiece, […]
11/10/18 – Don Pasquale – 1pm
San Francisco Opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti Libretto by Giovanni Ruffini and Gaetano Donizetti SUNG IN ITALIAN photo credit: Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera OVERVIEW Sparkling with virtuosic singing and playful humor, this boisterous comedy pits the miserly Don Pasquale against his nephew Ernesto and Ernesto’s sweetheart, the crafty young Norina. This performance of […]
11/03/18 – Barber of Seville – 1pm
San Francisco Opera Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini Libretto by Cesare Sterbini SUNG IN ITALIAN photo credit: Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera OVERVIEW Cunning, clever, and big-hearted, Figaro is precisely the sort of person you want as a friend. Cast Fiorello Edward Nelson † Count Almaviva Rene Barbera Figaro Lucas Meachem Rosina Daniela Mack Doctor […]
10/27/18 – Andrea Chenier – 1pm
San Francisco Opera Andrea Chénier BY Umberto Giordano with a libretto by Luigi Illica SUNG IN ITALIAN photo credit: Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera OVERVIEW South Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee (in his San Francisco Opera debut) stars as the titular Chénier, a poet whose romance with a noblewoman is threatened by the violent French Revolution. The […]
10/20/18 – Moby Dick – 1pm
LA Opera On Air Moby Dick BY JAKE HEGGIE AND GENE SCHEER Three hours, including one intermission SUNG IN ENGLISH front-page photo credit: Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera OVERVIEW “Call it a success… A whale tale with staying power” – Los Angeles Times “Theatrically stunning… epic in scale. A vibrant, compelling piece of musical theater” – […]
10/13/18 – Gianni Schicchi/Pagliacci @1pm
LA Opera On Air Gianni Schicchi/Pagliacci BY GIACOMO PUCCINI/RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO SUNG IN ITALIAN frontpage photo credit: Craig T. Mathew OVERVIEW Two legendary directors combine forces for a sensational season-opener. First, Plácido Domingo stars as Gianni Schicchi in Woody Allen’s riotous staging of Puccini’s comic masterpiece, conducted by Grant Gershon. When greedy relatives descend upon their […]
10/06/18 – Norma – 1PM
LA Opera On Air Norma BY VINCENZO BELLINI SUNG IN ITALIAN front-page photo credit: Ken Howard OVERVIEW “Stunning… An exceptionally strong cast” – Los Angeles Times “Angela Meade is astounding… a formidable achievement” – The New Yorker “Angela Meade and Jamie Barton [in Norma]… are a duo that every opera lover should hear” – The New […]
09/22/18 – NABUCCO – 1pm
NABUCCO Starring Plácido Domingo IN ITALIAN WITH PROJECTED ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS As an aging king descends into madness, his bloodthirsty daughter begins a reign of terror, leaving a defenseless populace to battle for freedom from their oppressors. A monumental opera that made Verdi a national hero, Nabucco boasts a bold score that goes straight to the heart, highlighted by […]
09/15/18 – Carmen – 1pm
LA Opera On Air Carmen COMPOSER: Georges Bizet libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on a novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée IN FRENCH WITH PROJECTED ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS Running time: approximately three hours and 25 minutes, including two intermissions. photo credit: Ken Howard The dazzling Ana María Martínez returns to Los Angeles as […]
