The roof of San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House almost blew off of it’s trusses last Sunday evening (May 29) at approximately 5:55 p.m. local time–and I am not kidding!!!  Don’t just take my word for it; ask anyone who was there!!  Read on, and you will understand some of what may have contributed to […]

When all the “i’s” are dotted, all the “t’s” are crossed, and the final page is turned; one may look back at the Siegfried sitzprobe of May 17 & 18, 2011 and correctly identify it as the tipping point where one could now actualize–not just envision–the success of the upcoming Ring Cycle here in San […]

As the month of May continues to whiz by, so do our rehearsals for San Francisco Opera’s current challenge–namely, the staging of the entire Ring of the Nibelungen.  With the first installment (a stand alone performance of Siegfried) due to grace the stage over Memorial Day weekend, time is getting tight.  So tight, in fact, […]

The late, great Johnny Cash utilized a unique trumpet fanfare as the musical introduction to his 1963 single, “Ring of Fire”.  The use of mariachi brass throughout, set this song apart–at least as far as country music was concerned–and resulted in a blaze of glory (pardon the pun) as the song became an instant hit, […]

One of the more delightful aspects of coming to Dallas the past few years has been carving out the time to visit some old friends from college (undergraduate school) who have settled in the area for their livelihood.  My best friend in college, and among the first persons I had met when I moved onto […]

As I attended a performance of Rigoletto on April 2, 2011 (one day after opening night of Boris Godunov) with my girlfriend Tracy, I must admit that I was thrilled to have been approached by several audience members who had already seen Boris at either our final dress rehearsal, or our actual opening night performance […]

One of the negative effects of participating so actively in the operatic forum is that of occasionally becoming musically ‘land-locked’.  After day-in and day-out of rehearsal, where the centerpiece is musical, sometimes the last thing we want to do in our free time is take in more music.  Oft times, I will do anything I […]

I sit in the auditorium, on this Monday night, of the spectacular new Winspear Opera House that is now home to a rejuvenated Dallas Opera.  Although the company itself, like so many arts organizations these days, is struggling mightily in the budget arena, it has not stopped them from mounting impressive productions and spotlighting new, […]