Running, jumping, or burning Gaul Running, jumping, or burning Gaul

Far be it from me to join the Schadenfreudian chorus of “Bye, Bye, Berti!” you may have been hearing in certain quarters, but the first thing I am duty-bound to report about San Francisco Opera’s Norma (of which three performances remain) is that they’ve hit the jackpot, coverwise.

By on September 21, 2014 at 2:57 AM
39 comments
Roman holiday Roman holiday

Big changes in San Francisco’s Norma.

By on September 13, 2014 at 12:43 AM
42 comments
The virgin Einspring The virgin Einspring

Jamie Barton will make her San Francisco Opera debut as Adalgisa in Norma for five of the opera’s seven performances on September 5, 10, 14, 27 and 30. Ms. Barton replaces Daveda Karanas, who has withdrawn from the production for personal reasons.

By on August 27, 2014 at 7:20 PM
104 comments
The Met: What is to be done? The Met: What is to be done?

Coming as Peter Gelb did from the music industry, opera lovers hoped that he would display a more distinctive knack for casting and an improved talent pipeline than Joe Volpe offered during the waning years of his tenure.

By on April 15, 2014 at 1:24 AM
254 comments
You don’t have to be Druids to love it You don’t have to be Druids to love it

“The Met’s production, originally directed by John Copley, is still a hideous, confusing mess. But with Ms. Meade and Ms. Barton acting with moving subtlety, singing generously and feeling deeply, it was hard to care.”

By on October 25, 2013 at 6:17 PM
44 comments
Sounds of silence Sounds of silence

“Don’t sing anything but teensy bits of Mozart until you’re at least 40…”

By on October 16, 2013 at 1:55 PM
153 comments
Love letter in the sand Love letter in the sand

Well done, littoraldrift!

By on October 03, 2013 at 5:05 PM
13 comments
Second guess Second guess

“An earlier version of this post referred incorrectly to the gender of the mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton. Ms. Barton is a woman.”

By on August 14, 2013 at 11:24 PM
20 comments
The world on a string: talking to Jamie Barton The world on a string: talking to Jamie Barton

American mezzo Jamie Barton, who has steadily been winning fans in the US over the past few years for her rich and nuanced singing, took the international opera world by storm last weekend by winning both the Song Prize as well as the overall prize in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.

By on June 26, 2013 at 6:32 PM
117 comments