Susan Graham and Renée Fleming stunning at Disney Hall

As part of the season of Scrooges and Santas, it’s a refreshing reminder of sweet simplicity in a complicated world.  

Houston Grand Opera’s season-opening production of the fiery opera does it right, from lighting to set to singing, and the end result is a stunning beginning to its season.

On Saturday night the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater was packed with opera fans who had come to enjoy a solo recital from aspiring American soprano Angela Meade. No wonder this one-time-only performance was a complete sell-out – there was no way that DC opera fans would pass up the opportunity to sneak-preview her performance, as she is up for the title role in Bellini’s Norma later this season.

Très attendue, cette nouvelle production – première incursion de l'acteur britannique dans l'opéra – brille surtout par sa beauté et son respect du texte de Tchaïkovski, moins par sa direction d'acteur et sa distribution inégale.

Joli succès pour cette reprise du spectacle bien connu de Laurent Pelly, grâce notamment à une distribution équilibrée (Lawrence Bownlee, Julie Fuchs, Felicity Lott, Susan Graham...).

The Metropolitan Opera makes good on its promise to present more contemporary work, opening the season with Jake Heggie's gut wrenching tale of rage and redemption.