Theatre Review: Passionate and Political, Opera Theatre St. Louis’ TOSCA Refreshes a Classic
There is not much color in Opera Theatre St. Louis’ production of Tosca. But that does not mean it is drab. Relying on minimalist lighting, projections and powerful singing, stage director James Robinson has accentuated the powerful drama of Puccini’s opera and taken a cue from Orson Welles, giving audiences a stark and sleek presentation that fully […]
Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ Holiday Concert Brings Glad Tidings to a Beleaguered City
Knowing that this year has been challenging for everyone, Opera Theatre of St. Louis is bringing glad tidings to those cooped up during this festive season with their 2020 Holiday Concert. Presented digitally as part of their virtual programming, the concert features a selection of holiday songs performed by cast members from OTSL’s forthcoming presentation […]
Opera Review: Saucy and Seductive, The Coronation of Poppea Features Dirty Deeds and Political Upheaval
There’s a lot of dirty deeds going down in Opera Theatre St. Louis’ production of The Coronation of Poppea. This Italian opera, given to posterity by the dramatic realist Claudio Monteverdi, is a piece that resonates with contemporary times in emotion, passion and proclivity for political intrigue. At the opera’s core is Poppea, a woman […]
Opera Theatre’s The Marriage of Figaro Delivers Lust and Laughter
Epic, bombastic and filled with intrigue, Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ The Marriage of Figaro launches the company’s 44th season with a relentlessly entertaining production that delights in the absurd while laying the melodrama on thick. Composed by Mozart in 1786, this new production is directed by two-time Tony nominee and esteemed met Opera vet […]
Review: Opera Theatre St. Louis Battles Hate With ‘An American Soldier’
In addition to mounting works from their classical repertoire, Opera Theatre St. Louis also commissions new work that speaks to a modern audience by engaging them with presentations featuring contemporary themes without sugar coating or smooth edges. Dubbed New Works, Bold Voices these commissions also affords new voices to be heard both on and offstage, […]
Review: From Black Leather to Rainbow Pants, ‘Orfeo & Euridice’ Dazzles Opera Theatre St. Louis
In a season filled with intrigue, passion and intense drama, Opera Theatre St. Louis‘ Orfeo & Euridice is a refreshing dose of mystic escapism. Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck, this new English translation, commissioned by Opera Theatre St. Louis, is based on the adaptation created by Hector Berlioz which lifted elements from the opera’s Italian and French versions and […]
Southern Gothic and Skullduggery Abound in Opera Theatre’s Voracious ‘Regina’
The treachery and deceit of a Southern family in Gilded Age Alabama is the focal point of of Regina, Opera Theatre St. Louis’ second production of the season. Adapted from Lillian Hellman’s 1939 stage play, The Little Foxes, and composed by Marc Blitzstein, Regina is just as unscrupulous today as it was when it premiered […]
Interview With International Opera Star David Pittsinger About “South Pacific” at the Fox Theatre
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” will grace the Fox Theatre stage for 16 performances, November 9-21! I had the pleasure of speaking with David Pittsinger, an international opera star with over 20 years of experience performing around the world. He filled me in on his past, how he became an actor, and what its like […]
