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Santa Fe Opera
Category: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Performing Arts [Edit]
Taos Hwy - US 84/285Santa Fe, NM 87501
(800) 280-4654
- Good for Kids:
- No
6 reviews for Santa Fe Opera
6 reviews in English
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Review from Melinda H.
Lubbock, TX
8/7/2011
Attended my first performance at the Santa Fe Opera last night, and I could not have been more impressed. The tickets were a gift; I wasn't sure about my ability to sit through an opera (took my iPod, just in case!); imagine my surprise at already looking at the 2012 season to decide which one to come back for.
We rode the shuttle from town, and it was an extremely efficient way to get to and from the opera house. I'd recommend it for out-of-towners or for anyone who doesn't feel like fighting the traffic. -
Review from rosquete b.
Belmont, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very cool opera with thunder in the background
Beautiful covered outdoor forum
Great voices; nice music
Minimalist stage scenery
Monitors in front of you give you choice of English or Spanish translations; a bit distracting
Comfortable seating -
Review from Joseph D.
Warrensburg, MO
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I saw two performances here in one week. Both were very different from each other, but one thing was the same... the theater.
It is a gorgeous opera house. It is a semi open-air theater and the desert breeze feels great at night.
The tickets are somewhat expensive, but they have a pretty decent "standing room" area, and those tickets are very affordable.
The opera has special screens in front of every chair, giving you subtitles for the shows you are watching.
The staff is very nice, and you can tell they are passionate about what they do. The quality is very high.
If you go to visit (or live in) Santa Fe, and want a quality culture experience, please visit the Santa Fe Opera! -
Review from Chris C.
8/14/2008
I've had the pleasure of seeing my brother perform in Santa Fe a number of times now and while I'm sure it would please the family for me to carry on about how talented he is, I would like to focus on the company itself.
Disclaimer: I do not work for them. I have never worked for them. This is based on my opinions as an opera-goer. (Not to mention that half the time my girlfriend and I get away from the city, it is to see him sing.)
Most of the shows I've seen at SFO have been top notch. Production values are on a par with some of the shows I've seen at the Met. They attract some semi-big to big names for their principals. The chorus is comprised of apprentices, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The singing is uniformly superior. The acting is fine. The orchestras are always nice and lush (as appropriate to each specific show).
I believe the real ace up SFO's sleeve (not to diminish their considerable talents) is their setting. The opera house sits on a hillside in the middle of the desert. The stage is open at the back, providing a very dramatic backdrop to any production. The shy during sunset takes on the most beautiful and dramatic colors. One year, with the Queen of the Night singing her vengeance aria on stage, lightning could be seen touching down in the distance.
Performance and atmosphere combined make Santa Fe Opera a one of a kind experience that I encourage opera lovers, novices and even detractors to try at least once.Listed in: West By Southwest, Bucket List, Culture
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Review from Rachel C.
10/25/2007
OK, SO MY FAVORITE MUSIC IS BLUEGRASS, BUT I'M NO PRUDE . . . I'M PRETTY OPEN TO ALMOST ALL KINDS. EVEN OPERA!
One of my good friends is about as far on the other end of the scale (http://www.myspace.com...) as you can get . . . . so trust me, I do appreciate extreme music on both ends of whatever scale you are using. His electronic music makes hard rock sound like a lullaby.
But, I digress . . . . .
OPERA, oh my . . . once again my beloved NM shines! The Santa Fe Opera has the unique flavor of the South West that no other opera house in the world can match. It is world class opera, but under the New Mexico sky. The seats are covered, but yet the audience is also directly under the stars. Open air theater. The elevation here is 7,600', so the evening and nights are chilly, even in mid-summer. Bring a wrap.
The 2008 season will include *Falstaff*, *The Marriage of Figaro*, *Radamisto*, *Billy Bud* and *Adriana Matar*. The performances are held just during June, July & August. Tickets are $26 - $180. Worth every penny. There are substantial discounts for subscriptions.
In addition, there are two evenings that are Apprentice Scenes - "The Stars of Tomorrow" perform fully staged opera scenes for just $15 for adults and $5 for kiddos. Reserved seats, of course.
All this just 7 miles north of Santa Fe in the pinon covered hills. Too bad it is summer, or you'd get a whiff of the pinon wood fireplaces burning in close-by homes. Nothing more than opera and pinon to tell you that you are definitely in the LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!
One of the things I like about this Opera House is that it offers Prelude Talks, Preview Buffets, Translations at seatside, Shuttle Bus Service, Backstage Tours. . . . . and FREE Parking.
Good seats sell out fast, so if you're planning on being there and want to experience this remarkable music venue, get you tickets now. It is not too early.
I'VE ALREADY GOT MINE. SEE YOU THERE!Listed in: Santa Fe, NM
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Review from Meg O.
Saint Louis, MO
7/30/2008
This summer, I accompanied the opera class at the Bread Loaf School of English to three of the operas here in Santa Fe. We attended the operas in style, stopping by the Whole Foods for picnic foods first so that we could tail gate in the parking lot before the show. I feel that my Santa Fe Opera experience has been pretty complete: in addition to tail gating, I've scalped a ticket, interviewed fellow tailgaters for an experimental radio piece I produced this summer, and danced at the 'opening night ball.'
The three productions I saw were Verdi's "Falstaff" (opening night), Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro," and Benjamin Britten's "Billy Budd." I really wanted to adore the "Figaro," as it is my favorite opera, and I've even was in a production of it in college. However, the Santa Fe production fell flat. While the woman who played Cherubino was incredible (I don't care what the NY Times has to say about her), she was not able to carry the entire show. The entire show lacked energy. I felt as if the cast's overall feeling was, "Ho-hum, this is Mozart. We've all been here and done that." And what was with all the boob-grabbing? The Count was constantly hoisting poor Susannah around by her chest. This might have been effective if the overall production had been edgy and interesting, but in this very traditional production, it felt forced and uncomfortable. If I would have to choose a favorite, I would have to say "Falstaff." I was completely unfamiliar with Verdi's last opera, and it is definitely not typical Verdi. The opera is both highly farcical and slightly Wagnerian in construction, with arias that last no more than a couple of minutes. I thought that the cast was spirited, and the fugue at the end was thrilling. I also enjoyed the set. In the Fords' house, for instance, there were trophy antlers and horns adorning the walls, which I found clever and hilarious. The set for "Billy Budd" was pretty amazing too, with its raising stage to reveal the belly of the ship. The young novice role had an incredible voice, and Billy himself was talented and HOT.
Overall, I am glad that my 6 weeks in Santa Fe included 3 operas. Are the operas the quality you have at the Met or the Lyric in Chicago? No. But the setting, with the stunning sunsets--or the appropriate lightning show we had for "Billy Budd"--and the tail gating definitely make it something special. My only wish is that I could have seen Peter Sellar's production of "Adrianna Mater." This past year I saw a concert production of a Santa Fe original by Osvaldo Golijov, "Aindamar," and was impressed by the new sounds coming out of Santa Fe. Unfortunately, those new voices and composers have to be funded by sometimes lackluster standards like the "Figaro."
