Organisation Reviews
4One of the great musical surprises of the year was a concert performance of Wagner’s masterpiece of forbidden love, given Aug. 26 in Herbst Theatre. This is a piece that can challenge even established opera companies, and to hear it done this well by representatives of the Claude Heater Foundation – with soprano Juyeon Song and tenor Roy Cornelius Smith in the title roles led by conductor Jonathan Khuner – defied reasonable expectations.
Out of nowhere, an excellent ‘Tristan’ pops up in San Francisco
Past Production Reviews
4As the initially evil title character, Nabucco, destroyer of Solomon’s Temple, Kenneth Stavert raged (and outraged) well, but when it came to his seeing the light and embracing his former enemies, the baritone’s “Ah, torna Israello” (“Return, Israel”) presented his voice at its best. Even Philip Skinner, as the mighty, booming high priest Zaccaria, had his “quiet moment” to show off pastel colors in that big, big voice. Tamara Gallo, the passionate Brangäne from the Foundation’s Tristan, sang beautifully the role of the good princess Fenena, who somehow survives the machinations of Abigaille. Alex Boyer’s Ismaele showed the spinto tenor advancing near to heldentenor domain. Doing double duty as chorus member and the High Priest of Baal, Chung-Wai Soong fit well into the excellent ensemble.
One of the great musical surprises of the year was a concert performance of Wagner’s masterpiece of forbidden love, given Aug. 26 in Herbst Theatre. This is a piece that can challenge even established opera companies, and to hear it done this well by representatives of the Claude Heater Foundation – with soprano Juyeon Song and tenor Roy Cornelius Smith in the title roles led by conductor Jonathan Khuner – defied reasonable expectations.
Out of nowhere, an excellent ‘Tristan’ pops up in San Francisco
