Jason Victor Serinus

San Francisco Opera sports a huge season of stars and new productions for the fall, while other Bay Area presenters, large and small, add to a season of unprecedented variety.

Handel’s best-known opera has achieved popularity due to a staggering succession of supremely engaging melodies. The reason for the full-house in Salzburg was the stars.

The festival of Wagner operas at Bayreuth continues to confront the composer’s fraught and complicated legacy with fascinating, sometimes crazy productions. SFCV’s critic reports on the entire thing.

Soprano Miah Persson’s latest recital CD is essential to acquire, being so filled with beautiful, deeply felt singing.

A mezzo/baritone recital proves disappointing and far less romantic than might be expected from the performers and their repertory.

The Merola production of Postcard From Morocco is packaged in mystery and enigma, but delivers a dreamscape of a score.

An inspiring voice teacher speaks of the challenges and thrills he experiences with his opera-stars-to-be, at the Merola and Adler programs of S.F. Opera.

Magdalena Kožená scores a win with romantic songs, backed well by husband Simon Rattle and the lush Berlin Philharmonic.

The silken strings of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra must be heard to be believed, on this exceptional recording of two beloved ballet scores.

Countertenor Robin Blaze continues to set off vocal fireworks in his bravura performances of oratorio and Bach.