I traveled twice this year, first to Berlin for Strauss, and then to Paris. I reviewed 46 performances, including 1 audio only, 8 HDs, 21 live, 2 movies and 14 streams.
For another perspective on 2016 see KK Awards.
Favorite Performances
- (JK) Jonas Kaufmann at La Scala was a Fathom Events broadcast of a concert. This is available on DVD and may be a better version than the CD recording. Fathom Event
- Der Vampyr ** at the Komische Oper Berlin was very fun and rather like a horror movie. I found this on my own which only made it better. Travel Live
- Elektra ** at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin. This was a fabulous cast, Evelyn Herlitzius, a very workable production and Donald Runnicles. This was the best of the Strauss in Berlin. Travel Live
- Elektra in HD ** The Met Elektra was close behind Berlin in excellence. This is a great opera which could be seen on the Met On Demand. Met HD
- Roberto Devereux in HD ** This was the third in Sondra Radvanovsky's tour de force three queens cycle at the Met. Her portrayal of Elizabeth I was spectacular. I liked the staging very much. Met HD
- Jenůfa at SFO. ** This was the highlight of the San Francisco Opera season with Karita Mattila in peak form. The intensity was at times overwhelming. Local Live ##20
- Les Indes Galantes from Munich ** The Rameau music was so gorgeous that one didn't mind the regie production. The world needs more Rameau. Live Stream.
- Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz from Glyndebourne. ** It is shocking to me that I have never seen this charming opera performed before. The English love it because the story is from Shakespeare, and it was a Shakespeare year. Live Stream.
- Vĕc Makropulos at SFO ** Perhaps the San Francisco Opera will do Janáček every year. Nadja Michael made this very special. Local Live ##20
- Tristan und Isolde in HD ** Simon Rattle conducted the most glorious Tristan of my lifetime. Met HD ##20
Singer of the Year
I'm going to award the singing prize to Sondra Radvanovsky.
Didn't like
I was disappointed in the overall quality of Strauss conducting in Berlin. The subtlety was missing.
New to Me Opera
- Thomas Adès' Powder her Face (1995) live at West Edge,**
- Hector Berlioz' Béatrice et Bénédict (1862) streamed from Glyndebourne,
- Terence Blanchard's Champion (2013) live at Opera Parallèle**
- Cavalli's Eliogabalo (1668) streamed from Paris
- Domenico Cimarosa's Il matrimonio segreto (1792) live at CSUS,**
- Handel's Agrippina (1710)was live at West Edge,**
- Paul Hindemith's Sancta Susanna (1922) live in Paris.**
- Heinrich Marschner's Der Vampyr (1828) live in Berlin,**
- Jean-Philippe Rameau's opéra-ballet Les Indes galante (1735) streamed from Munich,
- Bright Sheng's Dream of the Red Chamber (2016) live from San Francisco Opera,**
- Siegmeister's Darling Corie (1954) was live at CSUS,**
- Stockhausen's Donnerstag aus Licht (1980) streamed from Basel,
- Strauss's Die ägyptische Helena (1928) live in Berlin,**
- Strauss's Die Liebe der Danae (1952) live in Berlin**
** live, live stream or live in HD
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