Mainly in the plain
I wonder why many New Yorkers have been led to believe that the only Handel conductor in the world is Harry Bicket.
Daniela Mack
24 pieces since 2012 — in 18 roles, at 10 companies, most often at San Francisco Opera.
24
pieces
18
roles
10
companies
15
years
By role
Role Amastre
Role Bradamante
Girl power
Washington National Opera’s lukewarm Alcina, unthreateningly misguided in both its musical and theatrical values, made little impact.
Role Carmen
Thank you for smoking
How do you like your Carmen? Mezzo or soprano? Flirtatious? Confrontational? Smolderingly sexy?
Role Desdemona
A divided duty
Rodrigo is a ball-breaking role, but Lawrence Brownlee makes the demands sound easy—tossing in additional high notes and audaciously decorating cabalettas as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
Role Dido
In a deep vaulted cell
We convoke for Dido and Aeneas in an arched tunnel a city block long, lit by candles in the many recesses.
Role Dorabella
A very little night music
The unevenly-beating Heart unfortunately proved less than the sum of its deluxe parts.
Role Federico García Lorca
Actress of protest
Ainadamar functions on two levels: as a defiant dance against fascist totalitarianism and as an exaltation of the diva.
Role Frida
Flores para los muertos
Despite this being the first full-length opera for Gabriela Lena Frank, there’s no lack of experience across the creative team which, along with favorable reviews for the production, contributed to high levels of anticipation.
Returning to the Living World
“I joyfully await the exit—and I hope never to return” were the last words written by the visionary Mexican painter, Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (famously known simply as Frida Kahlo), according to her 2002 biography by Hayden Herrera.
Role Frida Kahlo
Death becomes her and him
El último sueño de Frida y Diego at the Lyric Opera of Chicago is a visual and sonic wonder, but a weak libretto dampens its effect.
Role Idamante
Sea no evil
A muted production challenges a talented cast in San Francisco Opera’s Idomeneo
Role Ino and Juno
Thus let few thanks be paid
Kudos to Opera Philadelphia for programming Handel’s Semele in its exceptionally interesting and wide-ranging Festival 2019; unfortunately, despite an extraordinary cast, James Darrah’s drably dull production doomed it.
Role Lorca
Spain and neutered
Ainadamar never quite found its identity between the two poles of conceptual and concrete.
Role mezzo-soprano
Miracle on 64th Street
Only connect! So sayeth E.M. Forster (via Margaret Wilcox) in Howard’s End.
Role Rosina
Busyness as usual
Emilio Sagi’s production of The Barber of Seville is ungepotchket in the flesh.
Role Rosmira/Eurimene
In Napoli where love is queen
Final opera of the season. Little-known opera. A revival. So, you can probably skip it, right?
Role Sesto
Brit star! would I were steadfast as thou art!
Rule Britannia? Often during the Olympics that famous number from Thomas Arne’s 1740 Alfred echoed in my ears.
Role The Drummer
Atlantis in Atlanta
“Once upon a time / Lived a foolish king. / Mocking Death, his crime, / Pure chaos he bring.”
Role Turnspit
Water, logged
So, how excited are you to read another piece about the Mary Zimmerman Rusalka?
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
