Revived Maria, Regina d’Inghilterra A Crowd-Pleasing Guilty Pleasure

Review

"I absolutely believe the program's assertion that Pacini was Rossini's main rival for the bel canto crown during the peak of his career."

Moral dilemmas & an excellent quartet: HGO's Rigoletto

Review

As Rigoletto leaves the party, we see the true depth of his character. As Mayes interprets him, the jester is very fidgety, his routines a compulsive series of tics that he feels compelled to practice even when nobody else is around, very much the modern laborer trapped in his work.

This Medium packs a punch

Review

The amount of emotion and energy she put into her character's maniacal laughter, fear, abusive pummellings and Jekyll-and Hyde remonstrations of poor pitiful Toby were awful to observe – and I mean that as a compliment.

"Incredibly clever" Trittico onstage in Victoria

Review

Aviva Fortunata as Giorgetta is a standout in Tabarro, with a warm full soprano, and barely-contained frustration and anger at being made to stay on the boat. Her desperation when she tries to leave her estranged husband is palpable as she nearly betrays her plan to escape.

The Most Happy Fella: a lesson in unconditional love

Review

Written by Guys and Dolls' Frank Loesser, I expected it to be simple and toe-tapping (don't get me wrong - I love Guys and Dolls!). The two grand pianos that served as Skylark's fearless orchestra, music direction by Carson Schneider, provided a sound not of the fun loving Runyon musical, but a mixture of Rodgers and Hammerstein with a dash of Leoncavello.

A Parisian Traviata Spectacle

Review

This production is feast for the eyes and ears. So much to see and listen to, full of emotional highs and lows, and a stage full of amazing talent.

Joynt angelic in Canadian debut as Gilda in Edmonton Opera's Rigoletto

Review

With Rigoletto, Edmonton Opera connects with a wide spectrum of themes that most people will identify: the danger of power that goes unchecked, the fear when those closest to you are threatened, and the purity of love and being loved. If you've never seen an opera before, this is a production that will definitely get you hooked.

The Bohos come home: AtG's Bohème is back at the (dive) bar

Review

For those paying attention, Ivany's libretto only updates details, the kind that are in place to connect character with audience. If we were to strip away the hipster scarves and references to manscaping and BMV, we're still left with the original personalities from the libretto by Illica and Giacosa.

Cuervo's "sophisticated, lyric" Frida in Atlanta

Review

Frida and Diego encounter many struggles, the communist revolution turning against Diego, the pair travelling to New York, their struggle to carry a pregnancy to full term, and their return to Mexico, which led to Diego’s many affairs.

Luisa Miller a "superbly shaped" start to Chicago's early Verdi venture

Review

While in the first act, the singers interacted awkwardly, with little to no dramatic commitment to their movements or singing, in the final moments of the show, the principals all rose to the occasion, singing and acting with dramatic impetus that temporarily stopped time.