Opera Review: Version of ‘Nixon in China’ a Gamble That Pays Off Big

Published in the  Eugene Register Guard March 18, 2012. By Marilyn Farwell With its production of John Adams’ “Nixon in China,” Eugene Opera took a great leap forward. By attempting this challenging modern opera, the company took a risk that could have catapulted it into oblivion; instead, its successful gambit exhibited an artistic maturity beyond [...]

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W(h)ither American Opera?

The Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting Kern’s Show Boat (of all things) this winter, with Nathan Gunn as Ravenal. Here’s an article about questions this move raises: http://theclassicalreview.com/2011/07/whither-american-opera/

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Bob Keefer on Eugene Opera’s NIXON IN CHINA

NIXON’S THE ONE John Adams’ modern masterpiece makes up half of the company’s 2011-12 season BY BOB KEEFER The Register-Guard Published: Thursday, Oct 27, 2011 05:00AM The first thing seasoned opera-goers will notice about Eugene Opera’s production of “Nixon in China” in March is: no airplane. Previous productions of John Adams’ 1987 opera, which is based on [...]

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Attention iPhone users: Now you can produce your own opera!

Ever wanted to know what it was like to stage manage an opera? Well, if you have an iPhone or iPad, apparently now you can find out. London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, has an app for that: The Royal Opera has launched The Show Must Go On, a new game for iOS devices (iPad, [...]

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Marilyn Farwell writes about Eugene Opera’s Nixon in China and opera in English

Sing that again — but in English, this time BY MARILYN FARWELL For The Register-Guard Published: Thursday, Oct 27, 2011 05:01AM This year’s National Opera Week, from Friday to Nov. 6, provides a convenient opportunity to consider why Eugene Opera’s choice of “Nixon in China” for its second production this season is both unusual and [...]

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Nixon in China at the Met: NY Times Review

By Anthony Tomassini Link to article During a panel discussion about “Nixon in China” on Tuesday afternoon at the Metropolitan Opera, Peter Gelb turned to the team of onetime artistic rebels who created this work for its Houston Grand Opera premiere in 1987 and suggested that back then, surely, no one involved had any ambitions [...]

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‘La Bohème’ makes a great start to opera season

BY MARILYN FARWELL For The Register-Guard Published: Sunday, Jan 2, 2011 05:05AM When an opera company chooses to produce another “La Bohème,” it cannot be lackadaisical about the performance. Some people have seen it so often that they know it by heart, and others want to experience their first opera, knowing that Giacomo Puccini’s heart-rending story of [...]

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Joan Sutherland: Citius, Altius, Fortius

I’ve posted two obituaries below; one, from the New York Times, is a good summary of her career from the American viewpoint. The second, from the Guardian, is written by someone who knew well her first-class work in the decade before she became La Stupenda, a title which I suspect will forever be hers and [...]

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Licia Albanese and the “Field of Dreams” Effect

In a recent post, I cited Rise Stevens as being “possibly the only major singer left from the glorious days of the Old Met.”  I was wrong;  Licia Albanese celebrated  her 97th birthday yesterday.   [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licia_Albanese] She reached the highest level of our profession within two years of her debut and she remained there  until [...]

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Welcome to a season of “Must-See Opera!”

Our official preparations for our 34th season begin today! We’re looking forward to two of the most popular operas: Puccini’s romantic “La Boheme” and Gilbert and Sullivan’s witty “The Mikado.” Both have been absent from our community too long, and both will return with some of the strongest casts possible. We’ll be blogging about the [...]

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