Archive for January 2013

An apology to readers of this site:  San Diego Opera’s season opener, Donizetti’s The Daughter of the Regiment, took place Saturday evening, January 26; and Long Beach Opera’s opener, Philip Glass’s The Fall of the House of Usher, was presented on the stage of the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro the very next day, Sunday, January 27, at 2 p.m.

I attended both performances and intend to comment on them as soon as possible; however, I am scheduled for surgery early Monday, January 28, and will only post reviews as soon as I feel up to the task. In the meantime, I will simply say both productions are well worth seeing — and the LBO presentation is of exceptional interest. One is unlikely to encounter this Glass work again in a live performance, and the director’s sexually charged concept for telling the the story is highly provocative.

As for Daughter of the Regiment, I judge it to be a crowd pleasing “laugh riot” with some (mostly) enjoyable singing by two attractive principals, and featuring the great Polish contralto Ewa Podleś on high camp overdrive.

Dave Gregson 
Please consult Long Beach Opera and
San Diego Opera for more information.