Palpable chamber music: Haymarket Opera's Lenten Oratorio

Review

The music of the crowd and demons, solidly sung by Kaitlin Foley, Carrie Henneman Shaw, Mischa Bouvier, Drew Minter, William Dwyer, and Mark Haddad, featured shifting homophonic and imitative textures and brisk dance rhythms. Musical highlights include the snappy setting of the word "Barabbas," which formed a recognizable ritornello early on, and a flourishing melisma on the final word of part one ("festante"), that traveled brilliantly through each voice in succession.

American Baroque Opera Co.'s first staged opera a winner in Alcina

Review

Alcina is definitely a musician's opera: one goes to it not so much for the story, but for what Handel has entrusted his virtuoso cast to contribute to the plot through great lyric vocalism and expansive lines, with coloratura used quite sparingly, which renders this a difficult piece to make interesting.

A kind of twisted, egotistical apotheosis: Faust in Chicago

Review

Dressed as a fantastical dandy in a violent orange suit, van Horn's Mephisto was cool. And it's not just his good looks—which not even a black-and-white pompadour could disguise—it's also his booming but seductive-sweet voice.

Slapstick done right: Burnaby Lyric Opera's Barber

Review

When Figaro needs a guitar, a hand simply juts out from the wings with a guitar in hand, then promptly collects it when he's done. The show is full of hilarious slapstick comedy, amazing comic acting, and is an absolute comedic tour de force, which had the audience howling with laughter throughout.

Barton leads "fantasy cast" in WNO's Don Carlo

Review

If you were asked to come up with a fantasy cast for a hypothetical production of Don Carlo, you'd be have a hard time assembling a lineup better than the one at Saturday night's performance. Tenor Russell Thomas sings the title role with clarity and passion, and not a hint of the strain which is all too common in this repertoire. Throughout their duet, his voice blends seamlessly with Quinn Kelsey’s Rodrigo.

Too much magic? A Midsummer Night's Dream at ENO

Review

Britten's stunning opera has made it into the standard operatic repertory not only because of the genius writing but because of its malleability as a piece. There are so many directions the design of this opera can go, and so many choices to be made for the character's relationships, thus every new production of Midsummer can feel like a new opera entirely.

Misnomers & interstellar sex scenes: Vasco de Gama

Review

In the 21st century, any production of an opera about a 15th-century colonizer is going to be about race and white guilt, whether it intends to be or not. While Kratzer adds in some key pieces of information that provide a certain degree of critical comment on the white colonial mindset, certain visual decisions throughout the production muddy that stance.

A bel canto winner: Atlanta's Fille du régiment

Review

The entire cast had impeccable comic timing, but the crowd favorite was Stephanie Blythe's role and company debut as the Marquise of Berkenfield. Ms. Blythe, who is one of the most frequently sought after mezzo-sopranos of the day, moved with exceptional comic timing, managing to make her grace and composure a source of hilarity.

David Lang's the whisper opera has intimacy issues

Review

Lang's music can feel voyeuristic, akin to watching a caged animal on display. The sonic vessel breaths and twitches while staying in place. The listener can examine and probe it at his leisure.

Too many jewels & the search for meaning: PBO's Candide

Review

"How can such ghastly horrors befall a world where all is for the best?" Candide asks. We may not live in the best of all possible worlds, but when the music fades and the curtain falls, it's our job to try and make the world a little better.