Reviews

Surrealism in Spain: Pacific Opera Victoria's Ainadamar

Surrealism in Spain: Pacific Opera Victoria's Ainadamar

Akin to a photographic vignette, each 'image' is a static setting onstage with highly stylized scenery, projections, and costumes. While the imagery is visually lush and brilliant, it made the pacing extremely slow, with little on-stage action to complement the modern design.

Melissa Ratcliff
Vancouver Opera's Mod cats Don Pasquale

Vancouver Opera's Mod cats Don Pasquale

Vocally, Polese was triumphant, breezing through incredibly difficult coloratura with such skill that it looked effortless.

Melissa Ratcliff
Simplicity strikes a chord in BLO Anonymous Lover

Simplicity strikes a chord in BLO Anonymous Lover

This opera is a rather simple affair, where the entire storyline is 'Valcour loves Leontine and absolutely cannot spit it out until their mutual friends and a young peasant couple in love inspire him to do so', and… that's it.

Arturo Fernandez
Archibald shines in COC's whimsical, physical Vixen

Archibald shines in COC's whimsical, physical Vixen

While the direction was creative and clear for the most part, I felt the show was trying to tackle too many struggles in a way that I think somewhat detracted from what I assume the primary allegory is: the need for feminism.

Greg Finney
Thrilling debuts and stellar alumni in the COC's Don Giovanni

Thrilling debuts and stellar alumni in the COC's Don Giovanni

The set and design were a technical marvel. The massive stage was filled with a giant cube, with morphing walls and configurations set on a revolve. There seemed to be an endless amount of staircases.

Greg Finney
high-notes-and-deep-emotion-dont-miss-fgos-i-pagliacci

high-notes-and-deep-emotion-dont-miss-fgos-i-pagliacci

Together, Pulliam and Brown form a powerhouse duo, breathing life into the timeless narrative of I pagliacci.

Samuel Loetscher

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