Living at the Opera

From Seen and Heard International By: José M Irurzun; Picture © Javier del Real Soloists, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid. Coro Intermezzo. Conductor: Jesús López Cobos. Teatro Real de Madrid. 19 and 20.1.2010 (JMI) The new year starts in Madrid with these performances of Wagner’s Dutchman, a work that has not been performed at the Teatro [...]

By James L Zychowicz Reprinted with permission from Seen and Heard – Music Web’s Live Opera, Concert and Recital Reviews. Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Sir Andrew Davis (conductor) Lyric Opera Center Chicago 31.1.2009 (JLZ) Production: Director: José María Condemi Stage, Set and Costume Design: David Hockney Lighting: Duane Schuler Chorus [...]

By Bernard Jacobson Reprinted with permission from Seen and Heard – Music Web’s Live Opera, Concert and Recital Reviews. Seattle Opera, soloists, cond. Lawrence Renes, dir. Chris Alexander, set designer Wolfram Skalicki, costume designer Melanie Taylor Burgess, lighting designer Marcus Doshi, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, 18, 19, & 29. 10. 2008 (BJ) It is [...]

Richard Wagner, May 22, 1813 – February 13, 1883 If one of Valery Gergiev’s objectives has been to keep the Mariinsky Theater’s version of Wagner’s Ring in the minds of the operatic public, he certainly has accomplished his goal. The performance schedule that he and set designer, Georgy Tsypin, have followed since the production debuted [...]

In October, 2006, the Kirov Opera and Ballet will come to the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa CA. Billed as the “Mariinsky Festival,” the company will play for three weeks, starting with the Kirov’s production of Richard Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” The following observations were recorded about the Valery Gergiev and [...]