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Paul Selar

Paul Selar

Also known as 'OperaChaser', Paul's passion for attending opera in performance spans 30 years. With a background in architecture and an unstoppable need to travel, Paul's foray into the world of reviewing started as Opera Australia's inaugural Critic-in-Training. He currently blogs at operachaser.blogspot.com.au.

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Bajazet: Pinchgut Opera concocts a striking Vivaldi pasticcio

By Paul Selar, 04 July 2015

A memorable production of Vivaldi's pasticcio opera Bajazet from Pinchgut Opera in Sydney.

****1

Bajazet: Pinchgut Opera concocts a striking Vivaldi pasticcio

Rewards, disappointments, but saved by the music: Rigoletto at Vienna State Opera

By Paul Selar, 17 June 2015

In Vienna State Opera's new production of Rigoletto, director Pierre Audi brings us close to a Rigoletto less freakish, more identifiably everyday.

***11

Rigoletto at Vienna State Opera: saved by the music

An overthought, underperformed Don Giovanni in Vienna

By Paul Selar, 16 June 2015

Within Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the darkest corners of the soul are exposed by music, stirred up by the lying, lecherous exploits of the aristocratic scoundrel, Don Giovanni.

***11

An overthought, underperformed Don Giovanni

A veritable match made in heaven: The Marriage of Figaro at San Francisco Opera

By Paul Selar, 14 June 2015

In Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Figaro and his bride-to-(maybe)-be Susannah share their ups and downs, but in San Francisco Opera's revival production directed by Robin Guarino, it was evident they would be a veritable match made in heaven.

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A veritable match made in heaven

Tutino's Two Women at San Francisco: multi-media heavy, but worth investigating

By Paul Selar, 13 June 2015

Marco Tutino's Two Women at San Francisco Opera feels lacking in musical originality and its out-of-date accompanying taste of re-heated Italian verismo comes a little over-cooked.

***11

Tutino's Two Women at San Francisco

A staggering behemoth: McVicar's Les Troyens arrives in San Francisco

By Paul Selar, 12 June 2015

Staging the operatic behemoth that is Berlioz's Les Troyens comes with huge challenges to harness the artistic, technical and dramatic qualities in a work which spans more than four hours.

***11

McVicar's Les Troyens arrives in San Francisco

Sisters shine in Munich's aesthetically intellectual but short-changed Così

By Paul Selar, 16 February 2015

An opening night of Così fan tutte in Munich in which Gaëlle Arquez and Marina Rebeka as the two sisters take the honours.

***11

Sisters shine in Munich's Così

Compelling and uncomplicated Iphegénie en Tauride storms into Sydney

By Paul Selar, 03 December 2014

In the opening scene of Pinchgut Opera's latest production, Gluck's rarely performed Iphigénie en Tauride, a swirling musical, dramatic and visually strobe-enhanced tempest is belted out.

****1

Iphegénie en Tauride storms into Sydney

Entertainingly taut Don Pasquale takes a Roman Holiday

By Paul Selar, 19 November 2014

One’s upbringing to respect the elderly is challenged in a farcical, not so far-fetched family matter in Opera Australia’s Don Pasquale.

****1

Entertainingly taut Don Pasquale takes a Roman Holiday

A plausible and wretchedly frightening Tosca opens in Melbourne

By Paul Selar, 12 November 2014

The aftermath of an unfortunate tug of war between love and lust entwined in a city gripped by enemy occupation, Tosca’s story digs deep into the human heart.

****1

Tosca opens in Melbourne

West Australian Opera's Il trovatore honours Neidhardt's lesson in directorial rigour

By Paul Selar, 01 November 2014

First presented in Perth in 2002, West Australian Opera’s Il trovatore (a co-production with Opera Queensland and State Opera of South Australia) is dedicated to the memory of director Elke Neidhardt, and here the stage becomes hers.

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Il trovatore honours Neidhardt's lesson in directorial rigour

Sparkling performances but The Merry Widow wobbles in Singapore

By Paul Selar, 25 October 2014

Singapore Lyric Opera’s new production of The Merry Widow, set in 1920s Paris, is weighed down by uninspired directorship.

**111

The Merry Widow wobbles in Singapore

Victorian Opera's The Riders: a new engrossing work of serious substance

By Paul Selar, 23 September 2014

Victorian Opera’s world première of The Riders, based on Australian author Tim Winton's novel, is an engrossing work of serious substance.

****1

Victorian Opera's The Riders

A Perfect Masterpiece: Glass's The Perfect American in Brisbane

By Paul Selar, 20 September 2014

The Perfect American, a fictional account of the final months of Walt Disney’s life, is a visually rhythmic flow of scenic magic on a blended Glass base – gently but harrowingly absorbing.

*****

A Perfect Masterpiece: Glass's The Perfect American in Brisbane

The Pearl Fishers at Melbourne Opera

By Paul Selar, 19 September 2014

Melbourne Opera's new production of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers succeeds with a tightly packaged, if at times bursting, and visually caressing production.

***11

The Pearl Fishers at Melbourne Opera

Show Boat floats into Melbourne

By Paul Selar, 20 August 2014

A new production of Show Boat comes to Melbourne with mixed results.

***11

Show Boat floats into Melbourne

Exuberant young Singapore company presents Die Fledermaus

By Paul Selar, 25 July 2014

At the heart of New Opera Singapore is a desire to demystify opera for Singapore audiences.

***11

Exuberant young Singapore company presents Die Fledermaus

Victorian Opera wanders Into the Woods with Sondheim

By Paul Selar, 22 July 2014

Once you've seen Victorian Opera’s new production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, it's unlikely you'll ever get it out of your head. It’s Melbourne’s current “anti-musical”, quietly intoxicating the audience with infectious force.

****1

Into the Woods, Australian style

Dmytro Popov's Don José the star turn in Rome's Carmen

By Paul Selar, 27 June 2014

Thoughtful character placement and a keen eye for detail contribute to a Carmen in Rome which is short on passion, but lovingly played.

****1

Dmytro Popov's star turn in Rome's Carmen