Reviews

Well-cast vignettes in POV's Flight

Well-cast vignettes in POV's Flight

In Flight, the characters arrive at the airport one by one, en route to their various destinations, and bringing their various problems with them. As all flights are cancelled due to a huge storm, and the passengers are stranded in the airport, their problems come to the forefront and are highlighted by each character in turn.

Melissa Ratcliff
Jacqueline: Come for the music, stay for everything else

Jacqueline: Come for the music, stay for everything else

The opera provides two alternative voices to reveal the complexities of du Pré's personhood; music written for the voice in a way reveals her public personality, along with hear-say gathered from relationships and journals, while music written for the cello presents a quieter inner voice, the private room of her spiritual thoughts.

Michael Zarathus-Cook
A bubble-gum sweet Barber in Vancouver

A bubble-gum sweet Barber in Vancouver

Edward Nelson as the eponymous Barber was absolutely phenomenal. Commanding the stage from the moment he arrived, his rendition of "Largo al factotum" couldn’t have been better. Working the stage and the audience, he was absolutely charming, and even took the final verse at breakneck speed, all without missing a single note.

Melissa Ratcliff
Timely & fascinating: Minnesota Bach Society presents Motezuma

Timely & fascinating: Minnesota Bach Society presents Motezuma

It is a timely repertoire choice, not only because of the plot's exploration of the Spaniards' conquering of the Aztec people, but because last year was the 500th anniversary of the conflict. Before the opera began, the Mexican consulate spoke giving historical context to the evening.

Callie Cooper
Wozzeck: The Full Kentridge and Beyond

Wozzeck: The Full Kentridge and Beyond

Whether as an artfully conceived full production, one taking place on the lip of a stage or a performance existing only in our ears and imagination, Wozzeck is a keeper.

John Hohmann
Talking with singers: Giorgio Caoduro

Talking with singers: Giorgio Caoduro

"I fell in love right away for the voices, especially the low voices. I remember like it was yesterday: 'I want to become a baritone or a bass and I want to sing in big opera houses!' Little did I know that in very few years I’d begin studying and making my professional debut. This year I will actually celebrate my 20th year of career."

Jenna Simeonov
Wild, untamable strangeness: Alice's Adventures Under Ground

Wild, untamable strangeness: Alice's Adventures Under Ground

Clocking in at about 55 minutes, this bit-sized, child-friendly opera is perfect for a family outing. It’s outrageous, laugh-out-loud humour can be enjoyed by all ages. There is no doubt that Barry has created a masterpiece of modern opera. His frenetic, ambitious writing does not feel overly academic or unapproachable; there is a slightly wild and surprising nature to his music which immerses the listener into the world that McDonald has created onstage.

Alessia Naccarato
Martínez creates an empowered Cio-Cio San at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Martínez creates an empowered Cio-Cio San at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly hardly needs any introduction, being one of the top 10 operas performed yearly in both the U.S. and Europe. The story of a young geisha jilted by a selfish, predatory American naval officer has gripped audiences since the first decade of the 20th-century, as has Puccini’s masterful score.

Michael Pecak
Virtuosic vocals reign supreme in Opera Omaha's Abduction

Virtuosic vocals reign supreme in Opera Omaha's Abduction

Opera Omaha’s production of The Abduction from the Seraglio brings vintage nightclub glam to Mozart’s beloved comedic Singspiel. The audience gets to enjoy the playful plot without all the dated humor and Turkish stereotypes that came with the original opera setting, a choice that allowed the virtuosic vocals to reign supreme.

Meghan Klinkenborg
Transcendent music & uneven staging in HGO's Aida

Transcendent music & uneven staging in HGO's Aida

Throughout the production, one could see many of these geometric shapes infiltrating the scene at many different points. Characters maneuver around them and discuss plans in their shadow. This rendered the Act III trio somewhat difficult to follow if you were seated on one of the sides of the theatre, given the lines of sight.

Andrew Schneider

Unlike other sites, we're keeping Schmopera ad-free. We want to keep our site clean and our opinions our own. Support us for as little as $1.00 per month.