The opposite sextoness

‘Tis the season, by which of course I mean that time of year when companies confirm or deny for us the rumors we’ve been crawling around the dark corners of the internet collecting. The San Francisco Opera has just done the big reveal for 2015-2016 and here’s what we have in store.

The Delirious: Karita Mattila debuts her Kostelnicka. You can imagine a mic drop here, or whatever the acoustic version is.

The Good (and it’s very good): the Michael Fabiano–Leah Crocetto pairing that was cruelly denied us in this fall’s Boheme is granted now in Luisa Miller. Later on, Fabiano again and Krasimira Stoyanova in Don Carlo! With Greer Grimsley and Brandon Jovanovich, the hours may fly by like 45 -minutes in Meistersinger. SFO gets Calixto Bieito, directing Carmen, before other US opera companies. Hopefully he will épater the hell out of the Baygeoisie.

The Bad (and, really, it’s still a night at the opera): Sondheim really doesn’t work in an opera house, with very rare exceptions like the City Opera A Little Night Music, but here we go again with Sweeney Todd. Perhaps the marvelous Gerald Finley will change my mind. Also another Barbiere, no matter how Daniela Mack may liven it up, is still another Barbiere.

The Shrug-Inducing: Thomas Hampson continues his “My Verdi, Let Me Show You It” tour of all the major roles, now taking on Barney Miller or Mrs. Miller or whatever the baritone role is. The Magic Fucking Flute, albeit with some fine young singers.

…but see for yourself.