* Notes * San Francisco Opera gave the West Coast premiere of Poul Ruder's The Handmaid's Tale last night. The piece is an impressive theater experience, compressing the more than 300 pages of Margaret Atwood's novel into less than 3 ..read more

* Notes * This year's Merola Grand Finale was held last night at San Francisco Opera. It is always interesting to hear singers on the main stage with the full orchestra, conducted here by Steven White. The set perhaps was ..read more

* Notes * Patricia Racette's production of Don Giovanni (end of Act I pictured left, photograph by Kristen Loken) opened at Merola Opera Program last night in San Francisco. There was lots of very strong singing and the direction felt ..read more

* Notes * A new production of Pelléas et Mélisande (Act II, Scene 1 pictured, photograph by Wilfried Hösl) opened as part of the Münchner Opernfestspiele opened earlier this month. Last night's performance had some very nice singing, but the production did not elucidate this dreamy, strange piece. Maestro Hannu Lintu presided over a glittery orchestra, the music had a lot of color, but perhaps the phrasing could have a bit more nuance. The music certainly was very loud in the tiny Prinzregententheater, and could be felt as much as heard. This co-production with Dallas Opera, directed by Jetske ..read more

* Notes * Bayerische Staatsoper's 2017 Tannhäuser (ovation pictured, photograph by author) returned to the Münchner Opernfestspiele last night. The performance was absolutely transcendent in its beauty, with grand playing from the orchestra and wonderful singing. The orchestra sounded full and together under Maestro Sebastian Weigle. The trumpets, bassoons, and harp were particularly fine. This staging, from director Romeo Castellucci, is very busy. There are many supernumeraries, in various states of undress, doing all kinds of choreography all the time. For example, the overture was accompan ..read more

* Notes * An excellent revival of Parsifal (ovation pictured, photograph by author) opened at Münchner Opernfestspiele yesterday evening. Musically, it was the best Parsifal I have heard live, the orchestra sounded splendid and the singers were all great. Maestro Adam Fischer lead the orchestra with verve, starting off the Vorspiel in a stately manner and building from there. The sound was very full and could be felt in one's whole body. The brass was clear, the timpani ecstatic, and the harps exquisite. Pierre Audi's 2018 production is serviceable. Act I featured a forest, Act II had a curtai ..read more

* Notes * Rossini's Tancredi (ovation pictured, photograph by author) premiered at Bregenzer Festspiele last night in the Großer Saal of the Festspielhaus. Based on Voltaire's play, the opera has lots of brilliant music that is a joy to hear. Set in Syracuse, the production from Jan Philipp Gloger is updated to be set in a Cosa Nostra household. It was a bit on the nose, but the revolving set itself is very attractive. The role of Tancredi is written for a mezzo or contralto en travesti, but for this version the character is a woman with she/her pronouns, but this is only known to her beloved ..read more

* Notes * Opera Parallèle is presenting the West Coast premiere of Fellow Travelers (Scene 6 pictured, photograph by Stefan Cohen) this weekend in San Francisco at the Presidio Theatre. The opera, a love story set in McCarthy era Washington DC, features a wordy libretto by Greg Spears and lyrical music from Gregory Spears. Directed by Artistic Director Brian Staufenbiel, this chamber opera is very much makes for compelling theater, with romance, intrigue, and betrayal. Jacquelyn Scott's scenic design employs props hidden in a platform to move the action along with help from background projecti ..read more

* Notes * A revival of Händel's Partenope returned to San Francisco Opera last night. The sleek staging (Act III pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) is still very funny and the cast is fantastic. Even though Händel wrote 42 operas, we usually only hear Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda. Partenope (1730) had its first performances in the United States in 1988 and at the War Memorial in 2014,  so it is great to have the chance to hear this opera again.  The 2008 production from Christopher Alden is set in a 1920s Parisian salon and references Man Ray, Surrealism, and Dadaism. There are many ..read more

* Notes * San Francisco Symphony performed Schoenberg's Erwartung (1909) for the first time on Friday. Conducted by outgoing music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, the orchestra sounded splendid at the Saturday performance I attended. The musicians were very clear and together, while soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams (pictured as the Woman, photograph by Kristen Loken) sounded hearty, always able to cut through the lush orchestration. This opera is part of director Peter Sellars and Salonen's collaboration  at San Francisco Symphony to put on large-scale works over four years. Sellars reframes ..read more