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EDITOR’S NOTE: This year, as in previous years, we strive to make our “Best Of” awards as fair as possible, while acknowledging that the selections are subjective. We note, however, that somebody always has to make a choice. The methodology we use is the same we employed when we began these awards three years ago. We consider categories and review what was said about each, and then choose what stood out from the rest. This process usually leaves us with three or four choices in each category. From those choices we then select what impressed us most about one – and to that One we give our award.
THE WRITERS:
This year Carie J. Delmar [CJD] joins us and offers her choices in a narrative format from the West Coast. As in previous years Joseph Giannino (JG) and I will offer our selections and choices, one after the other, since we each see different operas in the northeast. The initials (JG) indicate the selections are from Joseph Giannino, who covers Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Virginia and Philadelphia. The initials (PJW) indicate the selections form Paul Joseph Walkowski, who covers New York, D.C., Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

By Carie J. Delmar
OperaOnline.us

I’m the new kid on the block, and as the new kid on the block, I wanted to be part of the festivities, but I didn’t want to go all the way. After all, I only reviewed five productions during the 2005-06 season, and all of them were produced by L.A. Opera. I guess I’m just a little bit shy about handing out awards. Therefore -- please allow me to simply mention a few standouts.

Of the five productions I reviewed last season – “Madama Butterfly,” ”Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Grendel,” “La Traviata” and the “Plácido Domingo & Friends Gala” – there is no doubt in my mind about who my favorites were:

Although “Grendel” did have its failings, the creative directing, set design and costuming were worthy of accolades. Director Julie Taymor was responsible for the vision, which she created with composer Elliot Goldenthal, set designer George Tsypin, costume designer Constance Hoffman, lighting designer Donald Holder and puppet designer Michael Curry. In my review, I wrote: “Taymor, who is known for her creative sensibilities à la ‘The Lion King,’ didn’t pull any stops with this production either. We were so busy watching the visual effects that the orchestral music and singing seemed secondary. . . . The true star of the opera was the 48-foot-long, 28-foot-high, $950,000 wall which moved horizontally and vertically and rotated so that one side displayed ice; the other, roots, rust and stones. And as for the ramp in the middle – we always wondered how far up and down it would shift, if it would come to a halt at some inopportune moment and if the performers would be safe. . . .

[PJW] The nominees are: 1 Connecticut Opera’s “Il Trovatore,” Cal Stewart Kellogg, conductor; 2 The Metropolitan Opera Company’s (Met’s) “Ariadne auf Naxus,” Kirill Petrenko, conductor; 3 The Met’s “Carmen,” Philippe Jordan, conductor; 4 The Kirov Opera’s “Turandot,” Valery Gergiev, conductor; and Opera Boston’s “Lucrezia Borgia,” Gil Rose conductor.

The winner is: Kirov Opera’s “TURANDOT,” Valery Gergiev, conductor. The opera was performed on February 19, 2006 at the Opera House in the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. We called this performance “a towering artistic achievement” for a very good reason. This is part of what I wrote: “Indeed, the spectacle and brilliance of this production, under the stage direction of Charles Roubaud, and musical direction of Valery Gergiev, surfaced again and again, not from scene to scene but from moment to moment, until the production simply flooded the senses with the kind of fluid synergy of disparate components that sends one’s consciousness into hyper-overdrive and one’s inclination to criticize into a deep slumber."

[JG] There many great operas this year from an amazing “Dead Man Walking” in Baltimore to a beautifully sung “Norma” by Virginia Opera. All of the operas visited had qualities and nuances that could easily make them the best production of the year -- but one did stand out. Washington National Opera’s “L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI” had it all. This production by WNO gave us everything the audience wanted and then packaged it magnificently. Though the stage direction accounted for a great deal of the enjoyment of this opera, it was the ‘star’ power and solid performances that gave “L’Italiana” its brilliance, winning Best Opera of the current season f rom this writer..