Opera Philadelphia - Philadelphia | 29 March 2024 |
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Performance reviews
Key | Photo gallery | Production details | Video link |
Written on SkinOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 8 |
Written indelibly on skin |
19 Feb 18 / The Opera Critic |
No heart on the sleeve of Written on Skin at Opera Philadelphia |
14 Feb 18 / Broadway World |
A dilettante at large |
13 Feb 18 / Phindie |
more reviews [+]
‘Written on Skin,’ an opera of love, betrayal and a little cannibalism |
12 Feb 18 / New York Times |
Opera Philadelphia's 'Written on Skin' a new take on a not-so-old opera |
11 Feb 18 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
We Shall Not Be MovedOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 7 |
Standing their ground |
1 Oct 17 / TheaterJones |
The opera's message is delivered with stirring music, impressive direction and excellent performances |
26 Sep 17 / DC Theater Arts |
Moved takes on Philadelphia headlines |
22 Sep 17 / Opera Today |
more reviews [+]
Roumain and Joseph's opera succeeds on the level of art and not just polemic |
21 Sep 17 / Opera News |
Our engagement and catharsis come from the moving music and images |
20 Sep 17 / Phindie |
Squatters’ rites, sacred sites in We Shall Not Be Moved |
19 Sep 17 / Bachtrack |
Has anything changed? Opera Philadelphia uses MOVE as a lens |
18 Sep 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
I Have No Stories to Tell YouOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 4 |
Opera Philadelphia mixes old and new with two one-act operas |
1 Oct 17 / TheaterJones |
A clever pairing of two music dramas dealing with battles |
26 Sep 17 / DC Theater Arts |
At war with Philadelphia |
22 Sep 17 / Opera Today |
more reviews [+]
Opera, war, PTSD, and bright ideas that don't quite gel |
18 Sep 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Il combattimento di Tancredi e ClorindaOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 4 |
Opera Philadelphia mixes old and new with two one-act operas |
1 Oct 17 / TheaterJones |
A clever pairing of two music dramas dealing with battles |
26 Sep 17 / DC Theater Arts |
At war with Philadelphia |
22 Sep 17 / Opera Today |
more reviews [+]
Opera, war, PTSD, and bright ideas that don't quite gel |
18 Sep 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Die ZauberflöteOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
This production was a fascinating lens to look through |
30 Sep 17 / Phindie |
Of fairy tales and trials at Opera Philadelphia's Wake World and Magic Flute |
29 Sep 17 / Broadway World |
A dazzling reinvented Mozart at the O17 Festival |
23 Sep 17 / Phindie |
more reviews [+]
Strange magic |
21 Sep 17 / TheaterJones |
Magicking Flutes – and pink elephants – in the Roaring Twenties in Philadelphia |
19 Sep 17 / Bachtrack |
Mozart by way of Monty Python and Edward Gorey |
17 Sep 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
The Wake WorldOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 4 |
Of fairy tales and trials at Opera Philadelphia's Wake World and Magic Flute |
29 Sep 17 / Broadway World |
An immersive experience which transports the audience into an other-worldly existence |
24 Sep 17 / DC Theater Arts |
Opera Philadelphia had premiered a third striking new work within five days |
23 Sep 17 / Opera News |
more reviews [+]
O17 hits the Barnes with a hallucinatory fairy tale |
20 Sep 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Elizabeth CreeOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Murder, she sang |
20 Sep 17 / TheaterJones |
Putting on great opera can be murder |
20 Sep 17 / Opera Today |
Elizabeth Cree is worth repeated viewings for its vivid characters, ingenious development and gripping music |
17 Sep 17 / DC Theater Arts |
more reviews [+]
Murder she wrote: Elizabeth Cree launch Opera Philadelphia's Fall Festival |
16 Sep 17 / Bachtrack |
Three brilliant performances anchored the opera |
16 Sep 17 / Opera News |
'Elizabeth Cree' opens O17 festival with bloody good opera |
16 Sep 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Le nozze di FigaroOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Undimmed hilarity – and profundity – in a supreme operatic masterpiece |
12 May 17 / Seen and Heard |
Opera Phila’s lusty Figaro |
11 May 17 / The Huffington Post |
The power structure crumbles in this new Figaro |
8 May 17 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
The cast was filled with superb singers and actors |
3 May 17 / DC Theater Arts |
The staging of the slapstick hilarity worked extremely well |
2 May 17 / Phindie |
Opera Philadelphia delivers Mozart with doors, beds, and heaps of fun |
2 May 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
TancrediOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Two singers compensate brilliantly for a dramatically flawed Tancredi |
22 Feb 17 / Seen and Heard |
OperaPhiladelphia tackles early Rossini |
19 Feb 17 / The Huffington Post |
Stephanie Blythe is a powerful Tancredi |
15 Feb 17 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
Opera Philadelphia speaks softly with fortissimo effect in Tancredi |
14 Feb 17 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Death becomes him |
14 Feb 17 / parterre box |
Tancredi is at once grand and intimate, florid and quiet, updated but timeless |
13 Feb 17 / DC Theater Arts |
TurandotOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
A stunning presentation of a not very human opera |
5 Oct 16 / Seen and Heard |
Goerke sang unstintingly in the fearsome title role |
3 Oct 16 / Phindie |
Turandot is worth losing sleep over |
2 Oct 16 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
Danger and darkness lurk around every corner of Opera Philadelphia’s stunning new production of Turandot |
27 Sep 16 / DC Theater Arts |
The main draw was Christine Goerke’s ferocious Turandot |
27 Sep 16 / Wall Street Journal |
A 'Turandot' both silly and serious |
26 Sep 16 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
associated articles [+]
Opera company revising 'Turandot' over Asian depictions
Opera Philadelphia is agreeing to make changes in its marketing and production of Puccini's "Turandot" because of complaints it perpetuates stereotypes about Asians.
Opera Philadelphia is agreeing to make changes in its marketing and production of Puccini's "Turandot" because of complaints it perpetuates stereotypes about Asians.
Breaking the WavesOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 8 |
A Lars von Trier opera makes a splash |
2 Oct 16 / Phindie |
Missy Mazzoli’s new opera: luminous beauty and moving human insight |
1 Oct 16 / Seen and Heard |
Opera Philadelphia triumphs with Breaking the Waves |
29 Sep 16 / Broadway World |
more reviews [+]
Adultery in the name of love |
27 Sep 16 / Wall Street Journal |
Flawed masterpiece: Missy Mazzoli's Breaking the Waves opens in Philadelphia |
27 Sep 16 / Bachtrack |
'Breaking the Waves' lends musical heft to a von Trier tale |
26 Sep 16 / New York Times |
A troubling and engrossing world premiere |
25 Sep 16 / The Opera Critic |
A great operatic package if you can take it |
24 Sep 16 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
associated articles [+]
Lars von Trier's 'true love story' becomes an opera
With Breaking the Waves, composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek have adapted von Trier’s bleak 1996 fable set in an insular Calvinist community on the coast of Scotland.
With Breaking the Waves, composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek have adapted von Trier’s bleak 1996 fable set in an insular Calvinist community on the coast of Scotland.
MacbethOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 2 |
A thoughtful and moving take on Verdi's Macbeth |
29 Sep 16 / The Opera Critic |
It made perfect, horrible sense |
27 Sep 16 / Wall Street Journal |
L'elisir d'amoreOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 5 |
Theatrical distractions mar an otherwise witty and well sung Elisir |
9 May 16 / The Opera Critic |
Restoring Much of the Sparkle to Donizetti’s Elixir |
7 May 16 / Seen and Heard |
Opera Philly’s charming Elixir |
6 May 16 / The Huffington Post |
more reviews [+]
Ever may the fruit be plucked |
5 May 16 / Phindie |
Sarah Shafer's crystalline voice graces Opera Philadelphia |
4 May 16 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
CapriccioOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 3 |
A compelling battle between words and music
|
14 Mar 16 / The Opera Critic |
Kirsten MacKinnon leads a splendid cast with her clear pure vocals and expressive acting |
14 Mar 16 / DC Theater Arts |
'Capriccio': Surges, stalls - but a charming conversation on opera and art |
14 Mar 16 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Cold MountainOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Impressive cast and production for East Coast premiere of Cold Mountain |
13 Feb 16 / Seen and Heard |
An intimate take on a big spectacle |
12 Feb 16 / The Opera Critic |
Cold Mountain again proved an impressive first opera and a memorable theatrical experience |
12 Feb 16 / Opera News |
more reviews [+]
When this cruel war is over |
9 Feb 16 / parterre box |
Opera Philadelphia deserves congratulations on yet another coup |
9 Feb 16 / Opera Today |
Often stirring, if not always inspired |
8 Feb 16 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
La TraviataOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 5 |
El amor, la alegría y la vida destruidos por la hipocresía |
14 Jan 16 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish) |
Lisette Oropesa makes an impressive debut as Violetta |
28 Oct 15 / The Opera Critic |
Lost soul |
13 Oct 15 / parterre box |
more reviews [+]
Opera Philadelphia’s emotionally compelling and thought-provoking La traviata |
7 Oct 15 / Seen and Heard |
This 'La traviata' makes news |
7 Oct 15 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
ANDY: A PoperaOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 4 |
El respeto al pop art |
5 Oct 15 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish) |
Warhol brought to the popera stage |
1 Oct 15 / The Opera Critic |
A party, with no rules |
16 Sep 15 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
more reviews [+]
An exciting world premiere |
13 Sep 15 / Phindie |
Don CarloOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
El hundimiento del Imperio de España |
6 Aug 15 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish) |
The vulnerability of a tyrant |
6 May 15 / The Opera Critic |
A “Don Carlo” to thrill the ear but disappoint the eye |
6 May 15 / Seen and Heard |
more reviews [+]
Eric Owens’ debut in Philly Don Carlo another bold feat |
5 May 15 / Classical Voice North America |
An underdone 'Don Carlo' |
29 Apr 15 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
An air of decay: Don Carlo opens at Opera Philadelphia |
28 Apr 15 / Bachtrack |
associated articles [+]
In ‘Don Carlo’ productions, singers tease out a King’s humanity
Even if everyone loves a bad boy, the appeal of Philip II in Verdi’s “Don Carlo” is hard to explain.
Even if everyone loves a bad boy, the appeal of Philip II in Verdi’s “Don Carlo” is hard to explain.
Charlie Parker's YARDBIRDOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 9 |
El fantasma desde el purgatorio de Birdland |
11 Jul 15 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish) |
An interesting musical experiment |
19 Jun 15 / Opera Today |
Operatic portrait of a jazz legend |
17 Jun 15 / Seen and Heard |
more reviews [+]
He knew why the caged bird sings |
11 Jun 15 / Bachtrack |
A jazz great jams in limbo |
10 Jun 15 / Wall Street Journal |
‘Yardbird’ sings but fails to fly at Opera Philadelphia |
8 Jun 15 / Washington Post |
A caged bird sings |
8 Jun 15 / The Opera Critic |
‘Charlie Parker’s Yardbird’ uses opera to tell a jazz story |
8 Jun 15 / New York Times |
'Charlie Parker's Yardbird' soars |
7 Jun 15 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Ariadne auf NaxosOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
On the beach with Ariadne & Ginger |
13 Mar 15 / ConcertoNet (English) |
A perceptive and witty Ariadne auf Naxos |
12 Mar 15 / Seen and Heard |
Good singing and pop references in Curtis Opera Theater's Ariadne auf Naxos |
12 Mar 15 / Bachtrack |
more reviews [+]
'Ariadne auf Naxos' combines Curtis, Kimmel, Opera Philadelphia, slapstick, and seriousness |
8 Mar 15 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Clowns and opera collide |
7 Mar 15 / Phindie |
'Ariadne' at the Perelman is among the most dazzling shows of the season |
7 Mar 15 / Philadelphia City Paper |
OscarOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 7 |
Oscar East Coast premiere at Opera Philadelphia |
22 Feb 15 / Broadway World |
Opera Philadelphia delivers East Coast premiere of 'Oscar' |
13 Feb 15 / Baltimore Sun |
The ups and downs of Morrison's Oscar |
12 Feb 15 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
East Coast premiere of Theodore Morrison’s Oscar |
12 Feb 15 / Seen and Heard |
'Oscar' too often forgets it's opera |
11 Feb 15 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Born to be wilde |
11 Feb 15 / parterre box |
Opera Philadelphia's Oscar disappoints despite strong performances |
10 Feb 15 / Bachtrack |
Il barbiere di SivigliaOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 4 |
Opera Philadelphia’s Barbiere offers laughs in plenty, and in impeccable style |
17 Oct 14 / Seen and Heard |
The barber gets clipped |
16 Oct 14 / The Opera Critic |
Almodóvar influenced Barbiere in Philadelphia |
30 Sep 14 / Bachtrack |
more reviews [+]
'Barber of Seville' in a luscious setting |
30 Sep 14 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
A Coffin in EgyptOpera PhiladelphiaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Coffin makes fine vehicle for Frederica von Stade |
20 Jun 14 / Seen and Heard |
Von Stade goes out (or not?) with a bang in "A Coffin in Egypt" |
13 Jun 14 / Philadelphia City Paper |
Von Stade nails the coffin |
12 Jun 14 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
Tale of a time-tested woman |
11 Jun 14 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
A diva reclaims the stage with authority |
10 Jun 14 / Wall Street Journal |
Even with von Stade, Gordon’s inert “Coffin” is a deadly night in Philadelphia |
9 Jun 14 / Classical Review |
associated articles [+]
Von Stade goes deep into the heart of Texas
For months, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade studied 90-year-old Myrtle Bledsoe, her character in the chamber opera A Coffin in Egypt.
For months, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade studied 90-year-old Myrtle Bledsoe, her character in the chamber opera A Coffin in Egypt.
Reviews search
Performance schedule
Puccini
26 Apr to 5 May 2024
Mazzoli
25 to 29 Sep 2024
Bologne
31 Jan to 2 Feb 2025
Mozart
25 Apr to 4 May 2025
News & Articles
Opera Philadelphia announces its 2024-25 season |
Opera Philadelphia’s 2024-25 season to feature works by Missy Mazzoli, Joseph Bologne and Mozart. |
14 Feb 2024 / OperaWire |
Changes at Opera Philadelphia |
Opera Philadelphia to reduce staff, cut budget by 20%, and David Devan is stepping down with audiences and philanthropy not having materialized post-pandemic as once expected. |
16 Aug 2023 / Philadelphia Inquirer |
Opera Philadelphia announces program celebrating Ruth Bader Ginsburg |
The program features performances by Joshua Blue (tenor), Norman Garrett (baritone), Michelle Rice (soprano), and Ashley Marie Robillard (soprano). |
20 Feb 2021 / Broadway World |
Opera Philadelphia’s Channel launched |
Lisette Oropesa’s ‘Traviata’ is a highlight of Opera Philadelphia’s new channel. |
15 Nov 2020 / New York Observer |
Opera Philadelphia cancels O20 Festival |
In addition the company will postpone or move online all but one of the live productions it originally planned for the 2020-21 season. |
29 Jul 2020 / Philadelphia Inquirer |