Call me madman
This past weekend was a busy one for operas in San Francisco (and Bay Area).
Mei Gui Zhang
8 pieces since 2018 — in 7 roles, at 4 companies, most often at San Francisco Opera.
8
pieces
7
roles
4
companies
9
years
Role Anne
Role Barbarina
Seville servants
A muted and merry carousel ride out of feudalism in the Met’s production of Le nozze di Figaro
A crazier day
Saturday’s performance of Le nozze di Figaro at the Met mined the humor from Mozart’s divine setting of Beaumarchais’s play about a crazy day in the Almaviva household.
Role Dai Yu
Dream on
The second act of Dream of the Red Chamber reached the apex and provided the audience with soul-stirring fulfillment.
Role Euridice
Good grief
There are no words superlative enough to describe this celebration of Orpheus’ grief, and I truly applaud San Francisco Opera for presenting such food for thought that will definitely resonate long after with me.
Role Guanyin
Monkey business
The Monkey King at San Francisco Opera combines spectacle and sentiment.
Role Oscar
It’s going to be a lovely party
Overall, this was a superb achievement and a thrilling season opener for the San Francisco Opera.
Role Pamina
For my next trick
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under conductor Stéphane Denève plays up the schtick in a concert performance of The Magic Flute – and obscures Mozart’s magic in the process.