San Francisco Opera's new Norma

By Jeffery S. McMillan, 08 September 2014

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco on 5 September 2014

Bellini, Norma

San Francisco Opera

Nicola Luisotti, Conductor

Kevin Newbury, Director

Jessica Jahn, Costume Designer

David Korins, Set Designer

Sondra Radvanovsky, Norma

Jamie Barton, Adalgisa

Marco Berti, Pollione

Christian Van Horn, Oroveso

Jacqueline Piccolino, Clotilde

San Francisco Opera Orchestra

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.

*****

More reviews...

Jeffery S. McMillan

Jeffery holds an MA in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers University and spent ten years as an archivist for the Metropolitan Opera, where he helped develop the MetOpera Database. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes about opera and jazz for publications including Opera News and Musical America.

Divas Distinguish San Francisco Opera's new Norma