Elza van den Heever and the MET Orchestra: A stunning all-Strauss program
A summer Mozart menu
ReviewAfter such a substantial appetizer there was a reasonable interval before the entrée. It is at this point appropriate to mention the reconfiguration that Mostly Mozart brings to David Geffen Hall. The stage extends beyond the proscenium into the auditorium. Seating is placed at either side of the extended portions of the stage and, when a chorus isn't performing, behind it.
Relentlessly sinister: Rigoletto at Wolf Trap Opera
ReviewThe production, directed by Crystal Manich, is pretty standard as *Rigolettos* go, the Italian renaissance evoked in the costumes and scenery, and all the characters do what they always do - the Duke rapes, Rigoletto rages, Gilda falls foolishly in love, Sparafucile murders. There is an added element of surreal projections on the architectural set which proved more a distraction than an enhancement.
Don Giovanni in 2018: in search of a "concept"
Op-edAnd, let's be honest, we've all seen these productions, in which even basic narrative details of a piece are obscured, confused, ignored or senselessly "deconstructed" with sometimes baffling outcomes.
Swept away: Roméo et Juliette
ReviewThe contemporary setting didn't feel like a gimmick but a way to make the characters that much more relatable, and the overall effect was that of a John Hughes movie. Muller's approach gets teenagers and how they feel emotion so intensely that it can turn fatal in an instant.
Nicole Lizée on the Mosaïque Project
Interview"For the past few years I've been thinking a lot about Canadian culture - or Canadiana - and, more specifically, Saskatchewan culture and identity. I've written two large-scale works in addition to this one that explores this as a premise. I feel I've just started this exploration."
Darren Sigesmund on the Mosaïque Project
Interview"Although the piece is written for a classical ensemble, I composed using my own sensibility as a writer. Classical music is very much a part of my sound world, and there are similar compositional concepts that cross over into jazz and vice versa. It merely comes down to articulating those ideas on paper."
Sarah Slean on the Mosaïque Project
Interview"It's always a treat writing music for master musicians and I'm thrilled to be in the company of such great composers, but I'm especially honoured to be part of this project, I think it's ambitious and timely and a beautiful tribute to Canada."
Layered comedy: Flight
ReviewWhat struck me most about this work by Jonathan Dove and April de Angelis is the intricate, layered nature of the music and text. I could see numerous performances of this opera and discover something new about it everything single time. Great comedy should make us think, and Flight provides plenty of food for thought.
Strange inside: The Tender Land
ReviewThe Maytag hosts clearly took the term "Iowa Nice" to heart. Free snacks and beverages were supplied prior to the performance, as well as pie and ice cream afterwards. The atmosphere was welcoming and friendly, and I could sense that the Newton community had enthusiastically embraced their first opportunity to host the opera.
Canada sounds like: Mosaïque Project
Interview"We dreamed of going on a nation-wide tour for our 10th anniversary, and realised that it was not going to be easy to pull off. So we came up with the idea of commissioning a piece that takes us across the country musically. One thing let to another, and we now have a nation-wide tour, and a great added visual dimension, including listeners from all across Canada."