By Robert Croan In her first two seasons as general director of Florida Grand Opera, Maria Todaro has been particularly successful in enhancing the visual quality of her productions. Noteworthy were her opening Magic Flute in October 2024, a high-tech re-thinking by Jeffrey Marc Buchman of a standard classic; an updated Carmen staged by Todaro, once a successful … [Read more...]
PBO’s non-edgy ‘Butterfly’ nice, but not challenging
By Márcio Bezerra A 15-year-old geisha is bought in marriage and later abandoned by an American naval officer in — of all places — Nagasaki. The storyline of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is ripe with political and gender-related controversies. Yet, most traditional productions avoid tackling the problematic subjects head-on. That was the case with Palm Beach … [Read more...]
Well-sung ‘Merry Widow’ closes PB Opera season in light, frothy style
By Rosie Rogers Palm Beach Opera’s production of Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow last weekend at the Kravis Center made a light and lively, if not technically perfect, closer for the company's 60th season. Directed by Helena Binder and using Sheldon Harnick’s English lyrics, the show compensated for a few flaws with beautiful sets and an able cast. Binder introduced many … [Read more...]