The brew that is true
This is an exuberant, uplifting, and joyous Elisir, and, for once, it was actually laugh-out-loud funny.
Joshua Hopkins
21 pieces since 2013 — in 11 roles, at 6 companies, most often at Metropolitan Opera.
21
pieces
11
roles
6
companies
14
years
By role
Role Belcuore
Role Count
Role Count Almaviva
Seville servants
A muted and merry carousel ride out of feudalism in the Met’s production of Le nozze di Figaro
Role Dandini
On the steps of the palace
Anyone arriving at Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Rossini’s Cinderella (La Cenerentola) expecting the Disney-fied version of the story will be in for a surprise.
Role Figaro
Rosina in bloom
Maria Kataeva makes a promising US debut in an otherwise uneven revival of Il Barbiere di Siviglia in San Francisco.
You’re better off without me, mein Hair
I hate to say I nearly cringe at the thought of Gioachino Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Role Harry Bailey
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.
Role Lord Cecil
Red queen
Joyce DiDonato is taking her Mary Stuart on the road, so to speak.
Role Malatesta
Bachelor party
It may be blasphemy to admit—particularly this month—but usually I can either take or leave Donizetti’s serious operas. However, I love the composer in comic mode, so Chris’s Cache runs with that sentiment in offering three recordings of Don Pasquale.
Role Mercutio
Speaking ill of the dead
Plácido Domingo’s conducting reduced the score’s urgency to the lethargy of a jellyfish.
Sher on this shining night
Bartlett Sher’s “new to Chicago” production of Romeo et Juliette came to the Lyric Opera at Monday’s opening after appearances at Salzburg and Milan.
Role Orpheus
In my very own private hell
No, we don’t really need another “Orpheus” opera. Or, rather, we don’t need this one.
Raising genius
A special program note for Saturday night’s performance of Matthew Aucoin’s new opera Eurydice pointed to a rare convergence of three MacArthur Grant fellows in its creation and staging.
Role Papageno
Mozart, maximally
Do you ever wonder how easy it is to invent a Christmas tradition?
You better sit down kids
If Sunday’s performance of Magic Flute at the Met demonstrated one thing, it is that opera targeted at children must be just as good as (if not better than) opera targeted at adults.
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).