Two Reviews - Near and Far

Two reviews - one for something I saw, one for something I didn't see.

The "near" review is of a performance I saw.

Last night I dragged Husband out to see Westminster Conservatory's Opera Gala. It was in a very pretty and very small theater on Princeton Campus. Westminster's Community Chorus and orchestra performed, and the soloists were all voice teachers - including mine! She told me about it last week and said something about it being the first time she's performing for about 15 or 20 years. I was really so excited and thrilled to see her perform - and she was great! It was all concert staging of course. They did duets and ensembles from a variety of operas, including the opening of Magic Flute, a duet from Cosi, a chorus piece from Aida, that famous Flower Duet from Lakme (is that in a light bulb commercial? Or maybe it's for a car???) and the finale from Die Fledermaus. My voice teacher sang the part of Adele in the Fledermaus scene. She was so cute there on stage! So charming and charismatic! It was such a treat to see her perform. It was a really nice evening.

The "far," as in, far away, review, is this one. Yes, Twitter comes through again. I'll paste the relevant part here, because it hasn't (yet) shown up on this site.

Nathan Gunn confirms his “matinee idol” status as Alec. From his smooth, easeful baritone to his manner and presence, every detail projects the genteel gallantry that draws Laura to Alec. Gunn’s effortlessness and utter sincerity are what make the performance so right. His aria revealing his ambitions as a doctor enhances his heroic aura in Laura’s eyes, but the peak of Gunn’s artistry is his hushed delicacy in the boathouse scene, as he insists that he and Laura have fallen in love and they both know it.

But go to the article to read the most concise synopsis I've seen yet about the opera. There's also a nice photo.