A Dream doesn't quite come true at San Francisco Opera

By Ilana Walder-Biesanz, 11 September 2016

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“In striving for accessibility, the libretto mars the opera”

Reviewed at War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco on 10 September 2016

Sheng, Dream of the Red Chamber

San Francisco Opera

George Manahan, Conductor

Stan Lai, Director

Pureum Jo, Dai Yu

Yijie Shi, Bao Yu

Irene Roberts, Bao Chai

Qiu Lin Zhang, Granny Jia

Hyona Kim, Lady Wang

Karen Chia-Ling Ho, Princess Jia

Yanyu Guo, Aunt Xue

Randall Nakano, The Monk

San Francisco Opera Chorus

Unmasking illusions: SF Opera’s Ballo mirrors life’s motley

Thomas May, 24th September

An excellent cast and smart, engaged direction make for an auspicious season launch in San Francisco Opera’s production of one of Verdi’s most sophisticated creations.

****1

San Francisco Opera's The Handmaid's Tale offers hope

Lois Silverstein, 14th September

John Fulljames directs a new production of Poul Ruders' uncompromising operatic take on Margaret Atwood’s celebrated novel.

****1

Antony and Cleopatra: Adams offers a Shakespeare speed-read

Mark Pullinger, 18th September

Great vocal performances from Amina Edris and Gerald Finley grace John Adams' new opera, which opens San Francisco Opera’s centennial season.

***11

San Francisco Opera offers a dark, powerful Rusalka

Edward Sava-Segal, 22nd June

Both vocally and instrumentally the performance was a high-class one

****1

Exquisite Handelian singing in San Francisco Opera's Orlando

Edward Sava-Segal, 21st June

The evening’s most revelatory performance came from the young countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen as Medoro.

****1

Heggie creates a new holiday tradition for the opera world

Donna Stoering, 20th November

A wonderfully realized production at San Francisco Opera of Jake Heggie's operatic version of a holiday classic.

*****

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Ilana Walder-Biesanz

Ilana Walder-Biesanz is a product manager for Yahoo, a theatre and opera critic, and a classically trained mezzo-soprano. She explored theater and opera stagings as a Gates Scholar at Cambridge and as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany. She currently writes for Bachtrack, San Francisco Classical Voice, and Stark Insider. Twitter: @ilana_wb.