Opera Warhorses

An appreciation and analysis of the ‘Standard Repertory’ of opera

Opera Warhorses - Teatro alla Scala - Milano

Entries Tagged as '2005-2008: William's Reviews'

Vargas Shines Bright in Stellar S. F. “L’Elisir d’Amore” - November 9, 2008

November 19th, 2008

Until the late 1960s, San Francisco Opera paid scant attention to Donizetti’s great romantic comic opera, “L’Elisir d’Amore”, having had only three performances of the opera in San Francisco in the first 44 seasons of the company’s history.  (If this seems incredible for an international house led for its first 30 years by an Italian-born [...]

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Tags: 2005-2008: William's Reviews

Family Matinee “Elixir of Love” at S. F. Opera - November 8, 2008

November 13th, 2008

Two of the production photographs shown below are from the Italian language “L’Elisir d’Amore” appearing at San Francisco Opera in repertory with two “family matinees” of the opera in English. The third is from the San Francisco Opera 2008 production of Portman’s “The Little Prince”. Production photographs of the family matinees will be added when [...]

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Tags: 2005-2008: William's Reviews

Ramey at S. F. Opera in Fascinating 1869 “Boris” Production - November 2, 2008

November 9th, 2008

As a vehicle for veteran basso Samuel Ramey, San Francisco Opera mounted a production closely associated with him - the seven scene 1869 version of Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov”. Ramey was supported by memorable performances by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, conducted by Vassily Sinaisky, in his debut season with the opera company, and the San [...]

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Tags: 2005-2008: William's Reviews