A barrel of laughs A barrel of laughs

Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer‘s bubbly The Judgement of Paris brings a distinctly Californian terroir to operatic comedy.

A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay

Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.

Oh, Mary Jane! Oh, Mary Jane!

Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Grammy-winning Intelligence makes a largely successful East Coast debut at Virginia Opera.

Storybored Storybored

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay was, somehow, a fun night at the opera—just not one that felt specifically operatic.

Novel ideas Novel ideas

Carmen Paddock looks at contemporary opera’s prestige literary turn and what it takes for operas adopted from novels to last.

Third leg Third leg

The term “narrative prosthesis” refers to the tendency for works of literature to use disability as the conflict upon which the whole narrative hinges. Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick is a quintessential example of “narrative prosthesis.”

Purple pros Purple pros

On Friday, June 21st, Opera Parallèle – the Bay Area nomadic, contemporary opera company – together with the Presidio Theatre unveiled their final production of the season, the West Coast premiere of Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce’s Fellow Travelers, an adaptation of Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel of the same name.

Monuments man Monuments man

It has been a great season for prolific Bay Area composer Jake Heggie.

Fully immersive Fully immersive

Now the opera world can have a taste of what an immersive opera looks like, as Opera Parallèle opened their spectacular world premiere of Everest: An Immersive Experience .

Making her garden grown Making her garden grown

Joyce DiDonato admits that she is “a problem solver, a dreamer, and—yes I’m a belligerent optimist.”

Standing woman Standing woman

It struck me that Jamie Barton’s voice is not dissimilar to a Henry Moore sculpture: grand and monumental but never brash or ostentatious; eccentric and offbeat but always graceful and tastefully molded.

Dream a little dream of me Dream a little dream of me

“Who are you? Who do you want to be?” The search for one’s identity is explored in American composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer’s brand new opera If I Were You.

It’s a wonderful opera It’s a wonderful opera

There comes a time where everything falls into place, and more importantly, when your head and heart are also in the right mindset.  That’s when when the opera becomes cathartic, life-changing experience.

Peak performance Peak performance

“Trove Thursday” ushers in February with Catalani’s La Wally with a mountain-top cast of Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto, Mario del Monaco, Giangiacomo Guelfi and Giorgio Tozzi conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini.

When this cruel war is over When this cruel war is over

Jarrett Ott is a star. That is the only surprise takeaway from the well-intended snore, Cold Mountain.

Consider the subtleness of the sea Consider the subtleness of the sea

Hopefully the assignment of Herman Melville’s endless whaling opus Moby-Dick as compulsory reading for High School students is a thing of the past.