Baby the rain must fall
As Brünnhilde invokes the gods of an empty Valhalla for one last time and strides confidently into a wall of flame, we pause for a moment, unsure of what will follow.
Falk Struckmann
12 pieces since 2009 — in 8 roles, at 5 companies, most often at San Francisco Opera.
12
pieces
8
roles
5
companies
18
years
Role Alberich
Human, all too human
Siegfried is, in a sense, The Ring’s odd one out.
Role Amfortas
Wholly Grail
Certain opera productions become the stuff of legend as much for the circumstances surrounding the performance as for the musical results.
Role Hans Sachs
Master, singers
There are several reasons to purchase the new DVD of Die Meistersinger from Vienna (EuroArts EUA 2072488), but the main one is Christian Thielemann. This production will most likely come to be known as “Thielemann’s Meistersinger,” because his sense of the overall architecture of the work is, pardon the pun, masterful.
By JedSF
8 comments
Role Klingsor
Grail against the machine
A new production of Parsifal at San Francisco Opera stirred something deep inside Michael Anthonio about how music soothes the soul
Role Orest
So I married an axe murderess
I think the sturdier of you will enjoy Nina Stemme’s Elektra from Saturday night at Wiener Staatsoper.
Role Rocco
Reunited
There is much to say about the similarities between the plot of Fidelio and the ancient myth of Orpheus.
Role Scarpia
Going Hollywood
The Hollywood Bowl is truly the preeminent musical venue in Los Angeles.
Role Wozzeck
Blood in the water
A DVD of a 2001 Met performance of Berg’s Wozzeck is included in James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met – DVD Box Set, and it’s easy to see why this performance was chosen. Levine and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra he has done so much to build and improve are the real stars of […]
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).