Harmony Wheeler

BWW Reviews: SF Opera's SECRET GARDEN Could Use Some More Work

San Francisco Opera's new commission, a modern opera take on the classic children's story, "The Secret Garden," has trouble fully blooming. Littered with beautiful lilies and roses of moments, the opera waits until its second act to really let its music breathe.

BWW Reviews: MOBY DICK a New Classic With Reimagined Opera

Storytelling at its best, San Francisco Opera's co-production of new opera "Moby Dick" overwhelms upon sight and hearing. The magnificent production has some of the most exquisite music ever written for the stage. Jack Heggie's grand cinematic score moves faultlessly from solemn, contemplative moments to lightning and thunder during a storm, making up for minor scenic limitations and becoming the narrator of the piece.

BWW Reviews: San Francisco Opera's New CAPULETS AND THE MONTAGUES is Breathtaking

Vincenzo Bellini's opera based on "Romeo and Juliet" does not follow the traditional Shakespeare plot, so it seems appropriate that the San Francisco Opera production, too, should veer away from traditional sets and costumes and create a world of its own.

BWW Reviews: San Jose Finds a Rare Pearl in Bizet's THE PEARL FISHERS

Google the "Pearl Fishers Duet" and you'll find almost every famous opera singer has sung the exquisitely beautiful song. It's the type of song that makes it to Hollywood, but that you recognize when you hear it. But many don't recognize the story behind it, one that plays out in a three-act opera titled "The Pearl Fishers" and composed by the creator of the immortalized opera Carmen. One could watch the first act of the opera alone and leave satisfied, having heard the best the opera has to offer. Georges Bizet's gorgeous score as a whole, however, has plenty to recommend it, and a timeless romance filled with the overhanging threat of death makes watching it unfold a bittersweet experience.

BWW Reviews: Viva VERDI Comes Alive in SF Opera's New ATTILA

One of Giuseppe Verdi's lesser-performed operas, Attila lacks the hummable songs that have brought his better-known operas into popular culture. His complicated characters are ever-present, however, and his grand melodies support those characters with a commanding presence, especially when a large chorus takes up more than half the stage. Verdi definitely knew how to use the chorus. And in San Francisco Opera's Teatro alla Scala co-production, the singers, both leads and chorus, ultimately give Attila the power it needs to succeed, albeit a great deal of the production's success owes its existence to the visually stunning scenery on display behind the strong vocals on display.

BWW Reviews: New MAGIC FLUTE Full of Color and Wonder at SF Opera

Polka dots, neon and pastel colors, and innovative use of projector technology comprise a cheerful and vivid new production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, which premiered Wednesday night at the San Francisco Opera Memorial House. Although it sometimes lacks the dramatics needed to keep a strong momentum, the production makes a strong addition to a long line of creative takes on the opera. Plus, its nonsensical plot makes it the perfect opera to share with friends who do not regularly attend opera. San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley's new modern English translation also adds to that note, although some audiences may miss the original German.