La serva padrona
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Librettistby Gennaro Federico
Sāvitri
Gustav Holst
The Bear
William Walton
Librettistby Paul Dehn
2017
Merola Opera Program
San Francisco Opera
Creative Team:
Conductor: Christopher Ocasek
Cast:
Soprano: Jana McIntyre / Kelsea Webb
Mezzo-Soprano: Ashley Dixon
Tenor: Addison Marlor
Bass–Baritone: Daniel Noyola / Cody Quattlebaum
Bass–Baritone: Daniel Weigel
“Director Peter Kazaras added many deft touches to the trio of short operas, a delicious sight gag here and a meaningful glance there…”
Using one immense table dressed in various ways, the elegant production designed by Donald Eastman veered from the commedia dell’arte charm of Pergolesi to a dark postwar vision of Death and Savitri, the wife of a soldier from the Somme, to a whimsical battlefield in which the Widow Popova tries to defend herself against the claims of the boorish Smirnov.
In the first of a three part interview, Sheri Greenawald introduces you to Conductor Christopher Ocasek and Director Peter Kazaras. They dive into the triple bill of one-act operas and focus on the music in La serva padrona.
In the second of a three part interview Sheri, Christopher, and Peter discuss the music in Sāvitri and touch on the role of Death.
In the third and final part of this interview Sheri, Christopher, and Peter discuss the story in The Bear and why you should come to the triple bill.
Photo Credit:
