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Intermission feature

by | 8:19 pm | Jul 31, 2011

Here’s the place, cher public, where you can talk about anything that enters your pretty little heads during the first week of August.

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162 Comments

162 comments

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  • semira mide says:

    Does anyone know if the Met has ( or is considering) a similar arrangement for opera lovers with health issues?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/arts/music/unusual-sounds-at-mostly-mozart-preview-at-avery-fisher.html?ref=arts

    Also from today’s Times – comment about tenor types – in the Obits!
    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/arts/music/paul-franke-ubiquitous-singer-at-the-met-dies-at-93.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

    on August 2, 2011 at 9:10 AM
  • armerjacquino says:

    PSA: The latest free download on Opera Depot is an Antonietta Stella collection, and my word it’s ace.

    on August 2, 2011 at 10:47 AM
  • lorenzo.venezia says:

    Can any SF locals advise: I am going to be in SF on 26 Sept (a Monday) and want to catch “Lucrezia Borgia” since I’m there. Are rush tickets advisable? worth trying? or would I be better served just buying a ticket online now (or soon)??? (I’m a senior, nor a student ;-) Any/all advice warmly appreciated.

    on August 2, 2011 at 2:13 PM
    • SF Guy says:

      The Sept 26 performance has by far the best availability, but the Renee publicity blitz will eventually kick in, so waiting for rush tix would be a gamble. If price is an issue, I’d go ahead and get a balcony ticket now, unless you’re willing to do standing room.

      on August 2, 2011 at 3:10 PM
      • lorenzo.venezia says:

        the last time I stood there was for the Pavarotti/Price Aida… I’ll get myself a seat :-) grazie mille!

        on August 2, 2011 at 3:43 PM
        • CruzSF says:

          And don’t forget that SFO first made this available to subscribers only, so it might be packed by the time you arrive. I’d advise getting a seat, too. Although, some subscribers have told me they’re staying away in droves from this Lucrezia.

          on August 2, 2011 at 4:58 PM
          • lorenzo.venezia says:

            it’s hardly my first choice, but whenever I hit a town and there’s an opera, I go ;-)

            on August 2, 2011 at 5:41 PM
          • CruzSF says:

            An admirable policy, lorenzo v.

            on August 2, 2011 at 5:57 PM
          • lorenzo.venezia says:

            Cruz, that was how I managed to catch my only ever I Lombardi in Hungarian at the Budapest Opera, Smetana’s Hubi?ka at the National Theater in Prague and so on :-)

            on August 2, 2011 at 7:45 PM
          • CruzSF says:

            I Lombardi in Hungarian? Priceless. How lucky you were (because surely that was a once in a lifetime opportunity). I need to hit the road more often.

            on August 2, 2011 at 7:51 PM
          • lorenzo.venezia says:

            the night we were supposed to see Forza del Destino in Budapest it was cancelled, and we ended up seeing the Magyar Postman’s Orchestra doing scenes from Kalman et al. One of the most hilarious and fun evenings of my life! You never know…

            on August 2, 2011 at 7:58 PM
          • CruzSF says:

            One of the best pieces of advice I ever received here applies: See everything.

            on August 2, 2011 at 8:18 PM
          • Bosah says:

            CruzSF,

            I just did a quick haphazard check of availability and it looks like subscribers are staying away from everything in droves.

            I must admit I’m not familiar with normal SF attendance patterns, but everything I looked at, except the opening & matinee of Lucrezia and season opening night & a matinee of Turandot, had hundreds of seats available. Even opening night of Carmen had 100s. Is this normal for this time of year?

            on August 2, 2011 at 11:40 PM
          • CruzSF says:

            That is a good question, Bosah. I don’t know the usual level of ticket sales 5-6 weeks before the start of the SFO season. I did renew my sub in full, and bought an extra ticket to Lucrezia for a friend who requested it. I don’t like to buy tickets at the last minute, so I try to buy months in advance for as much as possible. Because of that, I rarely look to see what’s still available close to the performance date. 

            Re: tons of unsold seats: several of the operas this season are making repeat appearances within 8-10 years of their last visit. For a company that doesn’t operate like the Met (we have only 8-11 operas a season), those repeats might be more than subscribers can bear. At least, that’s what I’ve been told by former full subscribers who’ve gone half-time, and former half-timers who are going to only 2 or 3 operas.

            on August 3, 2011 at 12:32 AM
          • Bosah says:

            CruzSF, thanks for the SF attendance comment (sorry, I just now logged in to get it). I’m sorry to hear about some discontent. I hope it does turn out just to be a normal pattern.

            on August 5, 2011 at 8:37 PM
    • Camille says:

      Ciao lorenzo,
      I just snagged a ticket at a later date this past week and can tell you there were tickets for the 26th, but not that many that I would wait very long to order.

      You know the kind of involved standing line procedure at SFO? If you don’t remember, the website “The Opera Tattler” will give you specific instructions on how-to. Don’t know how current, as I can’t do SRO anymore. I’m afraid the buzz from opening night will sell the 26th. I hope you make it.

      One thing for sure, you won’t need the citronella wipes in SF! It’s too cold!

      on August 3, 2011 at 1:35 AM
      • lorenzo.venezia says:

        thanks, camille. I have to go to LA (I will catch Onegin and Cosi) for family, and decided I could swing back through SF and catch Lucrezia and see old friends while I’m at it. The last time I stood at War Memorial was for the Pavarotti/(M)Price Aida. Don’t think I’ll be doing that again. The first time I was there was while a student at Berkeley … L. Price in Forza, Sutherland in Sonnambula, schwartzkopf in cosi… and Falstaff outside at the Greek theater in Berkeley ;-) I was surprised at how many seats there are for Lucrezia! I may picnic at the ballpark for the HD Turandot since I arrive early enough and dislike that production enough to enjoy it at a ballpark ;-) Yes, no citronella. I lived there enough years to know what I’m in for :-)

        on August 3, 2011 at 1:42 AM
  • Unfaithful Zerbinetta says:

    Hey San Francisco people, since there do seem to be a lot of you around here:
    I recommend you go see Four Saints in Three Acts at YBCA later this month. Disclaimer: I found out about it because a friend is in it. I don’t know if it’s going to be good. But she’s good. And you don’t get too many chances to see Four Saints in Three Acts.
    http://tickets.ybca.org/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=13476

    on August 2, 2011 at 4:33 PM
  • CruzSF says:

    RIP, Agnes Varis.
    [img]http://parterre.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/agnes_varis.jpg[/img]

    I apologize if I missed someone else’s appreciation for this philanthropist.

    on August 2, 2011 at 6:30 PM
  • OpinionatedNeophyte says:

    Susanna Phillips is currently *killing it* during the opening night of the Mostly Mozart festival on Live at Lincoln Center. Wonderful legato line during Non Mi Dir, LuvTennis, you’d be pleased.

    on August 2, 2011 at 10:52 PM
  • ohbeone says:

    Is anybody else going to Music Academy of the West’s production of Barber of Seville?

    on August 3, 2011 at 12:53 AM
  • WindyCityOperaman says:

    A day behind in Birthday tributes!

    August 4

    Born on this date in 1908, conductor Kurt Eichhorn

    also born on this date in 1927, tenor Jess Thomas

    Happy 82nd Birthday soprano Gabriella Tucci

    August 5

    Born on this date in 1811 composer Ambroise Thomas

    on August 5, 2011 at 10:09 PM
  • WindyCityOperaman says:

    Happy 63rd birthday soprano Faith Esham

    on August 6, 2011 at 10:18 PM
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