I didn’t attend final Friday’s “Centennial Celebration Live performance” in individual; nonetheless I did purchase the livestream (bought on the SF Opera web site for $27.50) and I watched the entire presentation (working for about 2 hours with out intermission) reside. Therefore I assumed to incorporate my (quick) commentary of the live performance beneath.
Apparently, SF Opera modified their livestream supplier beginning this season. Issues arose from the second I attempted to make use of the web site. I couldn’t log in with my credential (regardless of of the web site assured me that my sfopera.com login info labored with them). I lastly managed to get in by way of “login with Authentication Code”, which despatched a novel code to my electronic mail.
Sadly, the livestream for “The Centennial Celebration Live performance” was having large downside with the quantity stage, because it was barely audible! I maxed out the quantity on my laptop computer, and it was nonetheless very laborious to listen to, particularly the a number of speeches/talks all through the live performance. I double checked with a buddy, and he or she had the identical downside as properly (she ended up requesting for a refund the following day!)
It was such a pity, as a result of the live performance itself—starring Michael Fabiano, Nadine Sierra, Pene Pati and Lucas Meachem—gave the impression to be a stupendous affair that I might have liked to see it in an individual. Nonetheless, one factor that struck me as odd was that for a live performance that regarded again to the primary 100 years of the Firm, the dearth of any footage or video clips from the previous was unlucky.
I received’t go into element for each single element of the Live performance since I wasn’t in “the room the place it occurred”. Nonetheless, beneath have been a couple of highlights from what I noticed and what I may hear:
Essentially the most touching level of the live performance was the second when Pati, shirtless, barefoot, in a conventional skirt, supplied Haka and conventional folks tune “A Te Tarakihi” to bless the opera home. He was extraordinarily grateful for the chance, as he mentioned “Thanks for permitting me to be me on this stage!” and afterwards, seen in close-up he shed a tear of happiness and gratitude. That’s actually the second after I realized, opera adjustments lives!
The live performance was virtually a homage to the late Luciano Pavarotti as properly, as he stored being talked about all through. Pati as soon as once more (in tux this time) supplied “Ah! mes amis” from La fille du régiment with a unprecedented ease attacking these 9 excessive Cs. Can we guide him to debut the position right here, please, SF Opera?
Sierra and Meachem did the ultimate scene from Thaïs. I checked the Archive, and to date, SF Opera had solely carried out the opera as soon as, starring Beverly Sills!
Sierra and Fabiano took a lovey-dovey method to “Tonight” from West Facet Story
And the campiest of all of them, the 4 singers did Irving Berlin’s “Something You Can Do (I Can Do Higher)” with lyrics adjusted to opera singing!
Photox: Kristen Loken/San Francisco Opera
