Opera Review – April 9, 2022

DELIGHTFUL “COSI FAN TUTTE” CLOSES ARIZONA OPERA SEASON WITH A FLOURISH OF RICH MUSIC AND COMIC FUN

“COSI FAN TUTTE”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater/Opera Critic

In an earlier Arizona Opera review this season, I stated that our local company had joined the ranks of this country’s finest regional opera presenters.  That qualification was brilliantly maintained in this season’s closing opera, Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte.”  It was lushly sung and acted plus it was a visual delight in a stunning new production designed and built here.  The opera comically tells of spirited young lovers and the … Continue Reading

Theater/Opera Review – March 7, 2022

THE PROBLEMS WITH AN OPERA COMPANY PRODUCTION OF A CLASSIC MUSICAL

“A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater/Opera Critic

When an opera company tackles a musical theater piece, you can count on two things – great singing that is often superior to the best theater company and the score played by a large ensemble allowing the performance of nuanced orchestration rarely heard in the current small, shallow Broadway orchestras.  Both things happened glowingly in the Arizona Opera’s staging of Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant “A Little Night Music.”  Other things critical to a successful musical theater … Continue Reading

Opera Review – January 31, 2022

EXEMPLARY SINGING AND DRAMATICS CROWN ARIZONA OPERA’S IMPRESSIVE “CARMEN” AT SYMPHONY HALL

“CARMEN”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater/Opera Critic

It has been several seasons since I last attended an Arizona Opera production so when a friend gifted me a ticket to “Carmen,” I had no idea what to expect.  As I headed to Symphony Hall my hopes were high and when expert conductor Christopher Allen raised his baton to start the familiar overture, Arizona Opera was no longer a fledgling company but a major regional opera troupe.

The stellar orchestra under conductor Allen’s impeccable tempos impressed and … Continue Reading

ARIZONA OPERA MOUNTS IMPRESSIVE “CANDIDE”

“CANDIDE”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Opera presented an impressive production of Leonard Bernstein’s Broadway musical/opera masterpiece “Candide.”  The company borrowed the stylish projections and staging from Portland Opera and brought in excellent singers who struggled valiantly with the show’s theatrical moments but generally did fine things with the Scottish Opera version that was used.

Most remarkable was hearing a huge orchestra play Bernstein’s brilliant score with such lush vibrancy using the rarely heard full orchestration.  It was conducted masterfully by Joseph Colaneri.  As many times as I’ve heard the score, I’ve never heard it better performed.  The … Continue Reading

Theater/Opera Peview – June 19, 2017

2017/18 MAJOR THEATER/OPERA SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Over the past few weeks, we have reviewed Arizona Theatre Company, ASU Gammage, and Phoenix Theatre 2017/18 seasons.  In addition, the Valley has other significant performing arts companies that bring popular, classic, and premiere attractions here.  Today we look at highlights from the new Arizona Opera, Childsplay, Hale Centre Theatre, Phoenix Symphony, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, and Stray Cat Theatre seasons.

Arizona Opera presents five productions of usually standard operatic fare.  This season, in addition to three warhorse productions, the company will present a new opera based on the popular … Continue Reading

Opera Review – March 6, 2017

WORLD PREMIERE OPERA BY LOCAL COMPOSER SHOWS PROMISE

“RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix, AZ

It’s always exciting when a world premiere performing arts event occurs in Arizona.  And when the world premiere comes from a locally based composer, Craig Bohmler, the work stirs even more interest.  Add a world-famous local visual artist to create the striking sets and the audience at Friday’s night’s Arizona Opera’s performance of “Riders of the Purple Sage” was pulling for the work.  It justified the excitement.

Bohmler’s creative score and Steven Mark Kohn’s libretto are based on Zane Grey’s well-known … Continue Reading

Theater Review – February 6, 2017

ARIZONA OPERA STAGES AN INSPIRED “MADAMA BUTTERFLY”

“MADAMA BUTTERFLY”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix, AZ

Years ago in San Francisco, I attended my first professional opera featuring the brilliant soprano Leontyne Price in a beautiful staging of Puccini’s popular masterpiece “Madama Butterfly.”  What a wonderful opera to open a child to the genre.  When I arrived in Phoenix in 1979, my first exposure to Arizona Opera was a dreadful production of the same masterpiece in a shoddy looking and very tired staging that featured a fading opera diva.  I got the giggles early on and couldn’t stop snickering through … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ November 14, 2016

FAMOUS DVORAK OPERA “RUSALKA” WELL SUNG BUT WEAKLY STAGED

“RUSALKA”
Arizona Opera, Symphony Hall
Phoenix, AZ

It’s significant that Arizona Opera has reached the point in its 45-year history where they can program other than warhorse opera hits.  Those tired and true works like “Madama Butterfly” and “Cinderella” that are both part of the remaining current season, still make up the majority of their annual seasons but local opera lovers now get unusual works that are rarely performed by major American opera companies and, later this season, the company presents its first world premiere opera, “Riders of … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ October 17, 2016

BLACK THEATRE TROUPE DELIVERS SMASHING “RASHEEDA SPEAKING” AND ARIZONA OPERA PRESENTS DYNAMIC “45TH ANNIVERSARY SAPPHIRE CELEBRATION “ WITH RENOWNED OPERA STAR FREDERICA VON STADE

“RASHEEDA SPEAKING”
Black Theatre Troupe, Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center
Phoenix, AZ

Two exciting performing arts events – the Black Theatre Troupe’s rich staging of “Rasheeda Speaking” and an incandescent Arizona Opera concert celebrating the company’s 45th season – made quite an exciting performing arts weekend.

After a long period of mediocrity and a rocky transition to their new playhouse, the Black Theatre Troupe presents a smashing local premiere, “Rasheeda Speaking,” a 2015 … Continue Reading

To All Curtain Up Phoenix Readers:

During the summer live theater and performing arts hiatus in the Phoenix area, Curtain Up Phoenix will take a vacation.  There will be no new review postings to this site during July and August.  In September, regular postings of new theater and other performing arts events reviews will resume.  To all Phoenix area theatergoers, have a relaxing summer and please join me again in September for reviews of the exciting new 2016/17 season of theater and other performing arts events.

Chris Curcio, July 3, 2016