Render unto Caesar: An American première at Glimmerglass

By Sacha Evans, 11 August 2015

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Reviewed at Alice Busch Opera Theater, Cooperstown on 9 August 2015

Vivaldi, Catone in Utica, RV 705

Glimmerglass Opera

Ryan Brown, Conductor

Tazewell Thompson, Director

John Conklin, Set Designer

Sara Jean Tosetti, Costume Designer

John Holiday, Cesare

Sarah Mesko, Emilia

Megan Mikailovna Samarin, Marzia

Thomas Michael Allen, Catone

Allegra De Vita, Fulvio

Eric Jurenas, Arbace

A dark, delicious take on Elizabeth Cree at Glimmerglass Festival

Cameron Kelsall, 28th July

Mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught anchors a fluid and appealingly staged new production of Kevin Puts' penny dreadful.

****1

Child's play: inventive, moving Rinaldo at Glimmerglass

Cameron Kelsall, 31st July

Director Louisa Proske refracts Handel's tale of warlords and witches through the prism of a juvenile dream world, aided by a game cast headed by Anthony Roth Costanzo.

****1

Simon Godwin directs Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at Glimmerglass

Edward Sava-Segal, 30th July

The English theatre directs turns his hand to opera with a staging of Gounod's take on Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers.

****1

Brian Vu and Meredith Arwady shine in Glimmerglass Candide

David Wolfson, 8th July

Glimmerglass Opera Festival’s production of Candide leans heavily on a dry comedic sensibility, which most of the cast execute admirably.

***11

Carmen at Glimmerglass: visually striking, dramatically inconsistent

Cameron Kelsall, 18th July

Denyce Graves, once the reigning Carmen of her day, directs a new production full of interesting choices that rarely cohere.

**111

A streamlined Trovatore at the Glimmerglass Festival

Cameron Kelsall, 7th August

Rising mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis offers a gorgeously sung and grippingly acted portrait of Verdi's gypsy.

****1

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Sacha Evans

Sacha Evans is an American critic with a focus on vocal music, particularly Baroque opera. She is a communications consultant by day, culture vulture by night. She currently resides in New York City and sings with the Manhattan Choral Ensemble. Learn more about her at: http://sachaevans.com

Render unto Caesar: Cato approaches Utica for an American première at Glimmerglass