New York Times Clips Wings Off Metropolitan Opera's "Bat"

Susanna Phillips (Rosalinde) and Christopher
Maltman (Eisenstein) in Johann Strauss, Jr.'s
Die Fledermaus at the Metropolitan Opera
(Photo: Nick Heavican)

"Real Champagne tends to provoke sticker shock in cash-strapped young people hoping to drink their way through New Year’s Eve. A popular solution is André, the saccharine, mass-produced sparkling wine that sells for about $4 or $5 a bottle. The Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Johann Strauss Jr.’s tuneful farce Die Fledermaus, which rang in the new year on Tuesday evening, is operatic André: bubbly, sweet and syrupy. It’s not subtle or deep, but if you’re determined to have a party, it’ll get the job done. And the Met’s youthful cast is nothing if not determined to celebrate. The performers sing, dance and mug their way through Strauss’s classic waltzes with big smiles and lots of hearty laughter, intent on showing the audience a good time. But their lines are often worthy of groans more than giggles." [Source]

Dora Award Opera Nominations Announced in Toronto

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Prima Donna (Luminato)
Orfeo ed Euridice (Canadian Opera Company presents Lyric Opera of Chicago)
Nixon in China (Canadian Opera Company presents a Co-production of Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chicago Opera Theatre, Opera Colorado, Houston Grand Opera, Minnesota Opera and Portland Opera)
La Cenerentola (Canadian Opera Company presents a Co-production of Houston Grand Opera Association, Welsh National Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu and Grand Théâtre de Genève)
Death in Venice (Canadian Opera Company presents The Aldeburgh Festival, Opéra National de Lyon, Bregenz Opera and Prague State Opera)


OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
Sondra Radvanovsky (Aida /Canadian Opera Company)
Lawrence Zazzo (Orfeo ed Euridice/Canadian Opera Company presents Lyric Opera of Chicago)
Jane Archibald (Ariadne auf Naxos/Canadian Opera Company presents Welsh National Opera Production)
Alan Oke (Death in Venice/Canadian Opera Company presents The Aldeburgh Festival, Opéra National de Lyon, Bregenz Opera and Prague State Opera)

The Dora Mavor Moore Award (also known as the Dora Award) is an award presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts which honours theatre, dance, and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, who helped establish Canadian professional theatre, the award was established on December 13, 1978. Each winner receives a bronze statue made from the original by John Romano. [Source, Source]