Best051

How we grade an opera and a performance. When we look at an opera we look at every facet of the performance: lighting, set design, stage direction, costumes, placement of singers and chorus on stage, singing talent, ease of movement and how natural a performance appears. When we review a singer, we listen not only to their voice, but how they project and control their voice, how they adapt to the role and part they are singing and whether they interact with the audience and each other well. It's all very subjective, of course, and the views expressed are purely personal. Still, we make an effort to be fair and we acknowledge from the start that picking one from among many outstanding performances reflects little on the performances we pass over. If we mention a singer it's because their performance stood out; and when we name a winner, it's because for that production their performance stood out even more.

Aida, Connecticut Opera
La Vie Parisienne, Opera Boston
Tosca, Opera New Hampshire
L'Italiani in Algeri, Boston Lyric Opea
Marriage of Figaro, NY City Opera
I Vespri Siciliani, New York Met
Hansel & Gretel, Connecticut Opera
Rigoletto, Conn Grand Opera & Orch.
Le Noz di Figaro, Grabnite State Opera
Kata Kabanova, New York Met
Die Fledermaus, Maine Grand Opera
La Boheme, Teatro Lirico D'Europa
Alcests, Opera Boston
Madama Butterfly, Palace Theater
The Little Prince, Boston Lyric Opera
Nabucco, New York Met
Candrillon, New England Conservatory
Requiem, Conn. Grand Opera & Orch.
Carmen, Teatro Lirico D'Europa
La Bhoeme, Teatro Lirico D'Europa
La Boheme, Teatro Lirico D'Europa
Eugene Onegin, Boston Lyric Opera
The Crucible, Opera Boston
Flight, Boston Lyric Opera
Rigoletto, Granbite State Opera
Elixir of Love, Connecticut Opera
Candide, Boston College Theater
La Traviata, Opera New Hampshire
Don Giovanni, Conn Grand Op & Orch.
Tosca, Opera North
The Gondoliers, Opera North
Trouble In & Schicchi, Cape Cod Opera

Andrea Chenier, Wash. National Opera
Billy Budd, Washington National Opera
La Fanciulla Del West, Baltimore Opera
Don Pasquale, Opera Co. Philadelphia
Il Trovatore, Wash. National Opera
Luisa Fernanda, Wash. National Opera
I Puritani, Baltimore Opera
Democracy, Wash. National Opera
Trsitan & Isolde, Virginia Opera Co.
Aida, Opera Co. Philadelphia
Die Zauberflote, Wash. National Opera
Rigoletto, Summer Opera Theatre Co.
Cendrillon, Summer Opera Theatre Co.

[PW] There were many. Those that come immediately to mind were the performances of Peter Furlong’s Cavaradossi, in Opera New Hampshire’s “Tosca”. Of that performance we said: “it will be the measure we will now take of others that follow” brilliant! It will also be hard to forget Evgeni Akimov’s performance as Rodolfo, in Teatro Lirica D’Europ’s “La Boheme”. I said his performance was “thermonuclear” and meant it. And while Lawrence Harris’ interpretation of Rigoletto was not everyone’s cup of tea in Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra’s rendition of this classic, I thought it was truly moving and insightful. However, there can only be one – and in this case the One is actually two. Yes, it is impossible to separate Don Giovanni from his manservant Leporello – Michael Chioldi and Stefan de Peppo respectively in Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra’s “Don Giovanni”. The two are inseparable on stage and, I find, are inseparable in acknowledgement. Of their performance on stage, I wrote: “Their voices filled the hall, resonated with strength and emotion and crisp, beautiful diction that – well, was thrilling to listen to. It would be hard to imagine these characters sung any other way. Mr. Chioldi and de Peppo gave magnificent, animated and believable performances that earned the sustained applause they received. Bravo!” And for that they win our top honors.

[JG] Of the thirteen operas viewed from D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia, the nominees are: Placido Domingo for his role of Vidal Hernando In Washington National Opera's "Luisa Fernanda". Of his performance, I wrote: "Placido Domingo, in the role of Vidal Hernando was, in a word, perfect. Each time he took to the stage he held it in complete command. Each vocal interpretation was brilliant and handled beautifully. The role of Vidal was written for a baritone, but Mr. Domingo handled it with ease. He sang the role that was at one time performed by his own father to his mother’s Luisa. His passion for this opera and this role in particular was obvious." My second nominee would be Gregory Kunde for his role of Arturo in Baltimore Opera's "I Puritani". Of his performance, I wrote: "Gregory Kunde is a truly gifted bel canto singer and delivered a wonderful and vibrant interpretation of Arturo. Puritani contains the highest note written for a tenor in all opera, and Mr. Kunde can, and did, hit and sing it well. Most tenors transpose it down. He didn’t!" But there can only be one and the One I chose this years is: Salvatore Licitra, for his performance in Washington National Opera’s "Andrea Chenier". Of his performance, I said: “Licitra’s act I “Un di all azzurro spazio” brought on a thunderous ovation and gave the audience a glimpse of what was to follow the remainder of the evening. It also gave everyone in attendance bragging rights to say they saw this amazingly talented tenor make his extraordinary debut on this very special evening. His final act “Come un bel di di maggio” was both touching and sung with palpable passion, delivered in a manner that blended beautifully as a natural part of the drama, not as a stand alone show piece.” It was easily the best of what we saw here.

[PW] It’s not that men can’t do wonderful things with their voices, but women seem to have an upper hand when it comes to projecting sounds that reach ethereal proportions and inspire awe of their agility and deceptive power. This year was a wonderful year as far as female performances were concerned. There were many truly great performances we have to set aside because of space limitations. But of those I heard and saw, some stood out more than others, and in our list of Best Of what we saw and heard for 2004-2005, I would be remiss if I neglected the following, of which one is our clear winner. Sondra Radvanovsky’s Countess Elana, in the New York Met’s “I vespri Siciliani” prompted me to write: “Sondra Radvanovsky, singing the principle female role of Countess Elana, gave the packed audience, pause: pause to truly appreciate the breadth and depth of that magnificent set of lungs, pause to sit in awe of how effortlessly she seemed to glide from one mood to the next, coloring, trilling, doing whatever it took to wring every emotion out of her character; and pause to marvel over the fact that she never wavered over the full three hours, hitting every note and adding every shading and nuance the music called for. Brava, was heard a lot Saturday afternoon, and for good reason.” And of Phyllis

Pancell’a singing of Isabella in Boston Lyric Opera’s “L’Italiana in Algeri”, I wrote, “She was sexy, saucy, seductive, coquettish, flamboyant and believable in every way. She pranced, she flopped, she posed and she sang in every act, and did it all while avoiding the amorous advances of the Bey who relentlessly pursued her.” Another stand out performance was given by the dependable Eglise Gutierrez, who sang the role of Gilda in Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra’s "Rigoletto". Of her performance I wrote: “Soprano Eglise Gutierrez brought to her character a childlike innocence and vulnerability that was a perfect match to her wonderful voice. Technically, she sings what the score calls for, and does so with what appears to be such effortlessness that every utterance produces beautiful sound that actually has a soothing affect on the audience. She hits the highs, exhibits fine control, and can go from pianissimo to fortissimo in a single note that has no beginning but ends in amazing power, conveying what she is feeling through her vocalizations and modulation.” And when Kristen Chavez took to the stage to sing Carmen in Teatro Lirica D’Europa’s “Carmen” only one word describes her performance:. Vrrrooom! When she was on stage, she was the only one on stage, or so it seemed. She’s that good in the role! She is Carmen. But . . .