Glimmerglass Festival - Cooperstown
18 May 2024

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Performance reviews

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The Cunning Little Vixen

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 6

“Cunning Little Vixen” an enchanted visit to the woods at Glimmerglass
9 Jul 18 / Times Union
Silent Night

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 3

Honoring those Who fought in the war to end all wars – The Glimmerglass Festival’s compelling Silent Night
28 Jul 18 / Seen and Heard
Even more moving the second time around
25 Jul 18 / Broadway World
In “Silent Night” war is ugly, music is beautiful
17 Jul 18 / Times Union
Il barbiere di Siviglia

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 3

Zambello’s Zany “Barber of Seville”
28 Jul 18 / Opera Warhorses
Glimmerglass Festival’s Barber of Seville achieves lift off and soars
25 Jul 18 / Seen and Heard
Musical magic out of the blue at Glimmerglass’ “Barber”
17 Jul 18 / Times Union
West Side Story

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 3

Glimmerglass Festival’s dazzling “West Side Story”: youthful artistry, theatrical authenticity
28 Jul 18 / Opera Warhorses
Francesca Zambello directs West Side Story with a deft hand
26 Jul 18 / Broadway World
Jerome Robbins’ work is the real (and big!) deal
17 Jul 18 / DC Theatre Scene
L'assedio di Calais

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 8

An exciting discovery
6 Sep 17 / ConcertoNet (English)
Rarely performed The Siege of Calais highlights New York’s Glimmerglass Festival
3 Sep 17 / The Toronto Star
Donizetti rarity given American première at Glimmerglass
22 Aug 17 / Bachtrack
Justice and music
21 Aug 17 / The Huffington Post
Francesca Zambello, Leah Crocetto & Aleks Romano make a great case for Donizetti’s forgotten work
25 Jul 17 / OperaWire
War beautifully sung in “The Siege of Calais”
24 Jul 17 / Times Union
A musically appealing, theatrically arresting “Siege of Calais” links Donizetti and Zambello
22 Jul 17 / Opera Warhorses
Glimmerglass Festival gives U.S. premiere of Donizetti’s ‘Siege of Calais’
19 Jul 17 / Blasting News
Scalia/Ginsburg

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 1

Glimmerglass being judgmental
24 Aug 17 / Opera Today
Xerxes

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 5

Baroque romantic entanglements
24 Aug 17 / ConcertoNet (English)
Arias rise to the occasion at Glimmerglass
9 Aug 17 / Syracuse New Times
Tree for the show
25 Jul 17 / parterre box
An elegantly performed Glimmerglass Festival “Xerxes”
22 Jul 17 / Opera Warhorses
Anchoring the uniformly strong cast is countertenor John Holiday, Jr. in the title role
17 Jul 17 / Times Union
Oklahoma

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 3

Director Molly Smith knew just how to best succeed at staging the evergreen classic Oklahoma!
23 Aug 17 / Opera Today
Glimmerglass Festival’s rip-roaring “Oklahoma”
22 Jul 17 / Opera Warhorses
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Oklahoma!’ kicks up its heels
16 Jul 17 / Blasting News
Porgy and Bess

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 7

Glimmerglass’ Porgy a perfect grand opera version
21 Aug 17 / Classics Today
Arias rise to the occasion at Glimmerglass
9 Aug 17 / Syracuse New Times
Francesca Zambello’s Porgy and Bess successfully revived at Glimmerglass
8 Aug 17 / Bachtrack
A strong and handsome evening of music and theater
21 Jul 17 / WAMC
Handsome and gripping “Porgy and Bess” at Glimmerglass
17 Jul 17 / Times Union
Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’ wows, big-time
16 Jul 17 / Blasting News
'Porgy and Bess' show worth seeing
9 Jul 17 / Times Union
Sweeney Todd

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 9

At Glimmerglass Festival, what was old can sound new again
28 Aug 16 / The Toronto Star
Greer Grimsley is ideal as Sweeney Todd
20 Aug 16 / ConcertoNet (English)
Blameless witches and a wicked barber
17 Aug 16 / Wall Street Journal
Greer Grimsley stars in Christopher Alden’s staging of “Sweeney Todd”
13 Aug 16 / Opera Warhorses
For the most part, this Sweeney Todd is both original and funny. Well played!
3 Aug 16 / DC Theatre Scene
Not playing it safe at Glimmerglass
3 Aug 16 / Syracuse New Times
When musicals become operas
2 Aug 16 / Washington Post
Not new, but darkly up-to-date
26 Jul 16 / New York Times
Just one more murder would have been nice. My vote for the final victim would be Christopher Alden
15 Jul 16 / Times Union
The Crucible

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 8

Powerful and perplexing
20 Aug 16 / ConcertoNet (English)
Blameless witches and a wicked barber
17 Aug 16 / Wall Street Journal
Mulligan, Barton, Zambello, Paiement make the case for “The Crucible”
13 Aug 16 / Opera Warhorses
A moving and powerful production
4 Aug 16 / DC Theatre Scene
Glimmerglass Festival's opera of the Salem witch trials is mesmerizing
2 Aug 16 / New York Upstate
When musicals become operas
2 Aug 16 / Washington Post
Stirring music and drama
27 Jul 16 / Times Union
Not new, but darkly up-to-date
26 Jul 16 / New York Times
La gazza ladra

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 6

Welcome to birdland
20 Aug 16 / ConcertoNet (English)
Gilmore, Angelini, Ngqungwana Take Flight in Rossini’s “Thieving Magpie”
20 Aug 16 / Opera Warhorses
Blameless witches and a wicked barber
17 Aug 16 / Wall Street Journal
Magic was missing in this production
3 Aug 16 / DC Theatre Scene
Not playing it safe at Glimmerglass
3 Aug 16 / Syracuse New Times
'The Thieving Magpie' sparkles at Glimmerglass Opera Festival
20 Jul 16 / New York Upstate
La bohème

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 6

Blameless witches and a wicked barber
17 Aug 16 / Wall Street Journal
Still youthful at age 120
15 Aug 16 / ConcertoNet (English)
The Glimmerglass Festival mounts a youthful “La Boheme”
13 Aug 16 / Opera Warhorses
Nobody can deliver Puccini better than Glimmerglass
3 Aug 16 / DC Theatre Scene
A fresh, emotional experience
21 Jul 16 / New York Upstate
“Boheme” is grand and traditional at Glimmerglass
10 Jul 16 / Times Union
Candide

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 10

Exuberance and dazzle
5 Sep 15 / ConcertoNet (English)
Glimmerglass season shines with vibrant vocal performances
24 Aug 15 / Washington Post
Vivaldi, Mozart and Bernstein in Cooperstown
14 Aug 15 / The Toronto Star
Bernstein’s Candide seems to have more performance versions than Tales of Hoffmann
13 Aug 15 / Opera Today
Celebrating 40 years
4 Aug 15 / Wall Street Journal
“One must be optimistic”
1 Aug 15 / Times Union
A great show, performed with understanding and enthusiasm
1 Aug 15 / Ithica Times
Glimmerglass Festival: no better place for The Magic Flute and Candide
24 Jul 15 / DC Theatre Scene
Glimmerglass’s ‘Candide’ makes political satire satisfying entertainment
24 Jul 15 / CNY Café Momus
A sprightly new production of Bernstein’s musical
22 Jul 15 / Financial Times
Die Zauberflöte

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 8

An abundance of charm
5 Sep 15 / ConcertoNet (English)
Vivaldi, Mozart and Bernstein in Cooperstown
14 Aug 15 / The Toronto Star
Airy and bucolic Glimmerglass Flute
13 Aug 15 / Opera Today
A muddled journey with no clear sense of direction
6 Aug 15 / CNY Café Momus
‘The Magic Flute’ is among the reimagined
6 Aug 15 / New York Times
A sparkling pageant, mixing together mystery, romance and comedy
27 Jul 15 / Times Union
Glimmerglass Festival: no better place for The Magic Flute and Candide
24 Jul 15 / DC Theatre Scene
'The Magic Flute' creates opening night enchantment at Glimmerglass Festival
14 Jul 15 / Syracuse.com
Catone in Utica

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 10

An intriguing Vivaldi venture
30 Aug 15 / ConcertoNet (English)
Glimmerglass season shines with vibrant vocal performances
24 Aug 15 / Washington Post
Vivaldi, Mozart and Bernstein in Cooperstown
14 Aug 15 / The Toronto Star
Render unto Caesar: Cato approaches Utica for an American première at Glimmerglass
13 Aug 15 / Bachtrack
Glimmerglass conquers Cato
13 Aug 15 / Opera Today
Celebrating 40 years
4 Aug 15 / Wall Street Journal
Premier of Vivaldi’s Catone in Utica at Glimmerglass: singers galore
23 Jul 15 / Seen and Heard
Vivaldi’s late opera was well directed but missed an opportunity
22 Jul 15 / Financial Times
Traditional staging, strong singing in “Cato in Utica”
22 Jul 15 / Times Union
Glimmerglass Festival’s ‘Cato in Utica’ hails Caesar — and John Holiday’s magnificent countertenor
21 Jul 15 / CNY Café Momus
Macbeth

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 7

Creepily effective
12 Aug 15 / ConcertoNet (English)
Scottish sensation at Glimmerglass
8 Aug 15 / Opera Today
Celebrating 40 years
4 Aug 15 / Wall Street Journal
A haunting Macbeth at Glimmerglass Festival
24 Jul 15 / DC Theatre Scene
Glimmerglass Festival’s ‘Macbeth’ a vocal triumph fit for a king
15 Jul 15 / CNY Café Momus
Glimmerglass's 'Macbeth' tells electrifying tale of tragic Scottish king
15 Jul 15 / Syracuse.com
'Macbeth' plays perplexing note
14 Jul 15 / Times Union
An American Tragedy

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 7

Upstate, not upstaged
19 Aug 14 / Wall Street Journal
A tragedy with local resonance
12 Aug 14 / ConcertoNet (English)
Doom, glorious doom
8 Aug 14 / Metroland
Tobias Picker’s opera is fleetingly effective but fails to stir overall
4 Aug 14 / Financial Times
Zambello’s Glimmerglass festival: strong parts looking for a greater whole
26 Jul 14 / Washington Post
Glimmerglass’s ‘An American Tragedy’ an American triumph
24 Jul 14 / CNY Café Momus
Flawed 'American Tragedy' at Glimmerglass
24 Jul 14 / Times Union
Ariadne auf Naxos

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 8

Upstate, not upstaged
19 Aug 14 / Wall Street Journal
Ariadne on a farm
11 Aug 14 / ConcertoNet (English)
High and low
8 Aug 14 / Metroland
Francesca Zambello’s high-spirited production sets Strauss’s opera in a New York barn
6 Aug 14 / Financial Times
Christine Goerke raises the roof in this unforgettable aural experience
1 Aug 14 / CNY Café Momus
Zambello’s Glimmerglass festival: strong parts looking for a greater whole
26 Jul 14 / Washington Post
'Ariadne' provides a new take on Strauss
24 Jul 14 / Syracuse.com
Yes folks, tradition is out the window in this production by Francesca Zambello
21 Jul 14 / Times Union
Glimmerglass Festival stars Christine Goerke in dual role
Singer returns to upstate New York opera fest as artist-in-residence, and has title role in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos.
Glimmerglass Festival a homecoming for Goerke
This year's Glimmerglass Festival season in Cooperstown is serving as a homecoming of sorts for one its former young artists. Christine Goerke sings the title role in Richard Strauss's Ariadne in Naxos.
Carousel

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 6

Upstate, not upstaged
19 Aug 14 / Wall Street Journal
A gritty, yet delicate, Carousel
12 Aug 14 / ConcertoNet (English)
No sugar-coating here
26 Jul 14 / WAMC
Glimmerglass’s ‘Carousel’ goes round and round on the strength of its music, not visuals
26 Jul 14 / CNY Café Momus
Zambello’s Glimmerglass festival: strong parts looking for a greater whole
26 Jul 14 / New York Times
“Carousel” shows how an opera company can honor and even restore some lost luster to a familiar classic
14 Jul 14 / Times Union
Madama Butterfly

Glimmerglass Festival


No. of reviews: 6

Upstate, not upstaged
19 Aug 14 / The Guardian
A vivid, dynamic Butterfly
8 Aug 14 / ConcertoNet (English)
High and low
8 Aug 14 / Metroland
Puccini's 'Madame Butterfly' soars to perfection
18 Jul 14 / Syracuse.com
A cast inconsistent in vocal quality
18 Jul 14 / Times Union
Glimmerglass’s ‘Madame Butterfly’ finds harmony in the clashing of cultures
18 Jul 14 / CNY Café Momus
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News & Articles

Glimmerglass Festival names new leader
Robert Ainsley, who has decades of opera experience as singer, director and administrator and is known for his advocacy for new works, has been named the next artistic and general director of the Glimmerglass Festival.
26 May 2022 / Times Union
Francesca Zambello to depart role at Glimmerglass Festival
Francesca Zambello, artistic and general director of the Glimmerglass Festival, plans to depart the company at the conclusion of the 2022 festival season.
16 Oct 2021 / Opera News
Glimmerglass Festival to stage its operas outdoors this summer
The festival, in Cooperstown, N.Y., plans to resume performances this summer in “the most ventilated area we could find: the great outdoors.”
2 Mar 2021 / New York Times
Glimmerglass Festival cancels 2020 season
The Glimmerglass Festival has announced that it has cancelled all live performances this summer as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
6 May 2020 / Opera News
The Glimmerglass Festival announces 2019 season
As The Glimmerglass Festival prepares to open its 2018 season, the Cooperstown-based opera and musical theater company has announced programming for 2019.
4 Jul 2018 / Broadway World