A hit with the kids: WOW Factor

Review

An audience of kids also tests the temperament of the folks onstage. *WOW Factor* is cast with current and past members of the COC Ensemble Studio, and it was specifically the new members who impressed with their versatility. I had seen bass-baritone Joel Allison in the COC's stark production of Eugene Onegin, and it was a hoot to see him turn a full 180 as the buffo-for-kids Mr. Magnifico.

Opera5's Open Chambers: Too many cooks in the chamber?

Review

Ultimately it's the music that resonated the most, while the theatrics — played out in a dichromatic set via mimetic interpretations of the libretto — filled in the gaps that awkward shuffling and transitional applause between segments are otherwise expected.

San Diego Opera takes a detour with All is Calm

Interview

"In Turandot, that we did last year, or in All is Calm, the expressive potency of the human voice is the commonality. The spoken word is expressive too because it uses the human voice. It has music, it has rhythm, it has form, and it has pitch – all the things that some music does, but just that it is spoken. That is the dramatic glue to this piece."

Scattered symbols in Opera 5's Open Chambers

Review

Hansen is a lover of chamber music, but is less enamoured with the traditional setting of chamber music performances. He writes in his director's notes, "Audiences understand they'll arrive to a venue and see chairs set out awaiting the musicians, organized along very standard and - let's just say it - totally uninspired, predictable placements so that the musicians can see and hear each other."

Everyday people & spectacular emotions: La bohème

Review

Rodolfo and Mimì shared what felt like a genuine chemistry. Sung by Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw making her ENO debut, it was a subtle and heartfelt performance. There was something classic about her sound that I really loved. It was a true triumph. Musetta, sung by ENO Harewood Artist Nadine Benjamin, was unfortunately the weakest character for me.

Bumping elbows at CFO's Long Christmas Dinner

Review

Soprano Jessie Lyons went hardly unnoticed as Lucia, who spent most of her time on the winding stage, alongside Jonathan Zeng as Charles, whose charisma and stunning tenor voice required the attention of all attending. The audience also couldn't ignore Andrew Groble's thunderous baritone voice that was a delight for the ears, with additional support from Naomi Brigell emotional performance of the slowly deteriorating Genevieve.

Stay warm with Opera Mariposa's tropical Così fan tutte

Interview

"Our production includes a little LGBTQ+ content, as well as a nod to polyamory. Given the way the original sought to challenge the status quo, we felt this is very much in the spirit of the opera. I think the result is still a hilarious, satirical look at relationship stereotypes, and one that all audiences can enjoy!"

ENO's Lucia: "I wanted to see her fight back."

Review

I found Alden's production be be a challenging one. I think that's the nature of this piece. The subject matter is very dark and though I appreciate that it didn't shy away from depicting the violence done to Lucia, I was left unsatisfied with the way it was handled.

Unraveling BOUND v.2: Second time is (also) a charm

Review

Kevin Lau's reconstruction of a variety of extracts from Handel's vast catalog of compositions struck a tottering balance between showcasing one of the most celebrated composers of the classical repertoire in its original form — and enticing a modern audience with the experimental synth-tracks, glitches and contortions available to the digital soundscape.

Wonny Song: "A great musician in 2018 is a great entrepreneur."

Interview

"It is being in a position to help the next generation of artists. I am so energized to see the passion, drive, and commitment of our young musicians. It is a always a challenge to find effective, novel ways to propel them to a successful career. But it does not deter me from creating new projects towards that goal."