Photo by Bruce Bennett

2021

La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini

Palm Beach Opera
South Florida Fairgrounds iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
REVIEW

Having each artists’ aria featured on a central huge screen is like watching the show from the front row. Facial expressions and emotions are close up, and there is no need for opera glasses.

At one point in Act II’s Café Momus scene, all seven leading artists sing, each 10 feet from the other. Distancing, they call it. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Apart, yes, but the magic of the cameramen brought them together on the big screen: a stroke of genius. Mention has been made earlier of the excellent camera work. I honestly believe the future of opera is with the brilliant techies who man the cameras. Imagine seeing the front of maestro David Stern as he conducts, instead of trying to find him in the pit with his back to the audience.

And the closeups of the singers bring their very being into life with emotions and expressions we need to see as well as hear. Cameras intensify the operatic experience.

Rex Hern, Palm Beach ArtsPaper
2021

Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo

Palm Beach Opera
REVIEW

Palm Beach Opera’s inaugural open-air festival at the South Florida Fairgrounds came to its conclusion Saturday with a visceral performance of Ruggero Leoncavallo's ever-popular "Pagliacci."

Premiered in 1892, the short opera, usually coupled with Mascagni’s "Cavalleria Rusticana," benefited by being performed alone, thanks especially to the masterful stage direction by James Robinson.

Indeed, despite the bare-bones sets and the required social distancing among singers, their convincing acting kept the audience on their seats' edges throughout the evening. Besides good acting, lyricism was at the forefront of Saturday’s performance, which featured exquisite singing by the distinguished cast.

Celebrated soprano Ana María Martínez portrayed a strong-willed Nedda; her voice convincingly modulating from shimmering pianissimi to an edgier tone as the plot developed.

Marcio Bezerra Special to the Daily News
2021

Die Zauberflöte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Palm Beach Opera
REVIEW

In this amphitheater the seat rows seem to disappear out of sight beyond the horizon. The stage is a wide open space that makes the singers look almost Lilliputian. This was cleverly overcome with a centrally placed massive screen, fed by four well placed cameras, on which one sees each opera star singing their aria. Under their picture is an English translation of the German libretto, visible to all.

Rex Hern, Palm Beach ArtsPaper

“breathtakingly beautiful” —Palm Beach Arts Paper
“Palm Beach Opera became the first company in the United States to stage a full-length performance” —City Journal
“there was a palpable feeling of joy in the performance” —Musical America
“courageous winter operatic feast; grand opera with major league singers at an alfresco venue” —South Florida Classical Review

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