A next-level Fledermaus in Des Moines

Review

Although Frosch is a relatively minor character in the operetta, Brian Frutiger quite frankly stole the entire last act in my opinion. His physical comedy and drunken slur had the audience in stitches during his first scene, and I think he could have kept ad libbing for an hour without any complaints from the crowd.

Moving on up: Milan Milisavljević is MET's new Principal Viola

Interview

"Any section can have great harmony as well as tremendous strife. With a change of personnel and myself becoming Principal after twelve years of sitting Third Chair, I hope to usher an era of cooperation, artistic integrity and excellence that my section mates and I desired and can finally have."

Rusalka: Opera at its most operatic

Review

The last act brought the curse to its deadly conclusion. I could sense the audience collectively grimacing as Rusalka wandered onstage, knife in hand and feet bloodied. The pristine white floors became stained with pools of red where she discarded her silvery heels. The imagery and music made it clear. There will be no happy ending for the poor nymph.

An Insightful, Relevant Look At Divas

Review

But of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention Arielle Rogers as Sisieretta Jones. Arielle Rogers had easily the most to do throughout the night: Sisieretta eventually became the emotional core of the evening, and that is no small task.

Don't miss: the RCM's unsettling double-bill

Interview

"This piece shows us the extremes of real life relationships: friendships, dysfunctional marriages, unrequited love, toxic relationships, marital rape, etc. It explores how humans react differently to emotional and physical abuse, stress and loss. It really does cover a lot of ground for a work which is only 45 minutes or so in length!"

dell'Arte Opera nods to Mozart & Salieri in 2018

Interview

"Because it's such a long process, and because of the intensity of the repertory/festival format at the end, our training regimen is quite intense for the singers. Some come away truly ready to leap forward in their careers; others in the ensemble and smaller roles get a real taste of what it takes to do things well - the tremendous amount of work and commitment required."

The Rose Elf: Hot Times In The Cool Catacombs

Review

Early in the opera the lovers share a moment in which they assume the role of rose petals and enfold the elf, quite literally, within themselves. It was a wildly passionate action, which, like the presence of a life-size elf, distorts our sense of reality, even within the confines of this dark fairy tale.

Talking with singers: Megan Marino

Interview

"We just had our first work-through, and I'm done; none of those tears are forced, they're just human. In this production, by the time we get to the end, it's set up so that the audience can most relate to Suzuki's journey and reactions. They see everything from her vantage point. She knows how it's all going to end from the moment the Americans enter the house, but stays the course."

Shining a light: Toward Tomorrow

Review

Ko's rendition of Yentl's "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" and "A Piece of Sky" were both touching and fraught with emotion to open and close the show. Her aria "Elle a fui, la tourterelle" had wonderful moments of pathos, and her floated high notes were bright and brilliant.

Simulacrum: Futuristic angst and dance

Review

Broadly interpreted and playing to the opera's self styled emphasis on technology, Simulacrum is about the conflict between man and machine. More specifically, it is a story of futuristic angst told against a backdrop of techno-existentialism.