Category Archives: Reviews

Rusalka in Montréal

I was fortunate to see Rusalka in its final performance November 19th.at Opéra de Montréal, a co-production of Minnesota Opera & Boston Lyric Opera originally directed by Eric Simonson, remounted on this occasion by Bill Murray. The production had at … Continue reading

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Chérubin

Essential Opera is a relative newcomer to the Toronto scene.  I watched their presentation of Massenet’s Chérubin tonight, a logical sequel considering that their debut earlier in 2011 (that I missed by the way) was Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. Massenet’s … Continue reading

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Lepage’s Siegfried

I watched the latest instalment of Robert Lepage’s Ring cycle at the Metropolitan Opera in a high definition broadcast. The celebrated machine that is the star of the production continues to amuse and delight.  In the latest episode we see … Continue reading

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Don Giovanni 2.0

Tonight I attended the opening night of Opera Atelier’s new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.  This is their second production of the opera in roughly a decade, one I am inclined to call Don Giovanni 2.0 because this feels like … Continue reading

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HIP Don Giovanni

Facing the prospect of being saturated Saturday in the Dons Giovanni (what with a Met matinée and an opening night for Opera Atelier, offering the same opera twice in one day) I am surprising myself.  Even though I saw the … Continue reading

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Rigoletto, second cast

I had another look/listen to the Canadian Opera Company’s Rigoletto Oct 17th in a performance that was substantially different from the cast that opened earlier this autumn: a different tenor a different soprano a different baritone a different conductor Christopher … Continue reading

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Another Africa

The new Canadian Stage season begins with Another Africa, a program of two contrasting plays presented by Volcano Theatre that were part of The Africa Trilogy at Luminato Festival in 2010.  This is the first time I’ve seen them. While … Continue reading

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A Man’s World

I saw the new Canadian Opera Company production of Rigoletto directed by Christopher Alden tonight.  It makes a nice companion to the Robert Carsen Iphigenia in Tauris that premiered last week to such acclaim.  Both productions are like close analyses … Continue reading

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Carsen’s Iphigenia

Robert Carsen has once again held up a mirror to an opera by Gluck with the help of the Canadian Opera Company.  Last season it was an award winning production of Orfeo ed Euridice.  Tonight I saw Iphigenie en Tauride, … Continue reading

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Glass’ Film Music

I heard  “The Film Music of Philip Glass,“  a concert last night by the  Manitoba Chamber Orchestra at the intimate Glenn Gould Studio conducted by Anne Manson with Michael Riesman, piano soloist.  The concert was recorded for a CD that … Continue reading

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