WEBmikey: Simply the Best / Austin Lyric Opera : 3 of 5

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Simply the Best / Austin Lyric Opera : 3 of 5
11.09.2007 8:05 AM \| Link	Austin Lyric Opera has been transitioning from the Bass Concert Hall (which is closed for renovations) to the new Long Center, which will be an amazing theater and their new permanent home. But for the end of last season and the beginning of this one, they've been stuck at Riverbend Center, which is a nice facility, but just doesn't accommodate the spectacle of opera (Riverbend is a church, after all). ALO did a nice job with Barber of Seville in this environment, but they decided to open this new season with a "greatest hits" concert called Simply the Best. I was a little disappointed when I first heard about it, since it felt like I was getting cheated out of a full opera, but the concert was surprisingly well planned and beautifully performed! It was wonderful to see the orchestra onstage (since I haven't been to a symphony in months), and the vocalists were simply amazing, both for their incredible voices and acting ability, which I didn't expect to see in this type of concert. The selections were all over the place, including not only sure-fire hits like the Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute or the Toreador song from Carmen, but also pieces ranging from a Baroque aria from Handel's Xerxes to some modern songs from Bernstein's Candide (presented with great comic flair!). The complete ALO chorus was also onstage and their combined voices certainly were powerful! I'm looking forward to ALO's next production in April, but Simply the Best was definitely more than filler, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Labels: arts, opera


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