The dark side of the gold: Girls of the Golden West

By David Karlin, 22 November 2017

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“a cold, hard look at the dark side of the founding of California”

Reviewed at War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco on 21 November 2017

Adams, Girls of the Golden West

San Francisco Opera

Grant Gershon, Conductor

Peter Sellars, Director

David Gropman, Set Designer

Rita Ryack, Costume Designer

Julia Bullock, Dame Shirley

Davóne Tines, Ned Peters

J'Nai Bridges, Josefa Segovia

Ryan McKinny, Clarence King

Paul Appleby, Joe Cannon

Hye Jung Lee, Ah Sing

Elliot Madore, Ramón

Lorena Feijoo, Lola Montez

San Francisco Opera Orchestra

San Francisco Opera Chorus

Ian Robertson, Choirmaster / chorus director

John Heginbotham, Choreography

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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

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Lois Silverstein, 14th September

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

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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

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Edward Sava-Segal, 22nd June

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

****1

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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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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

The dark side of the gold: John Adams' Girls of the Golden West gets its world première in San Francisco