I think I’ve located more reviews for this opera than ever before.

Here is one from San Jose State University’s paper, The Spartan Daily. The last paragraph made me smile (and sort of cringe):

If you’re not already an opera fan, then two hours of singing might be much to handle, but the familiar story line is easy to follow. The actors do an excellent job on both their theatrical and vocal performances, but if you’re not a fan of opera than you might not enjoy everything the production has to offer.

Ah well. I’m assuming this is a student writer. (But I’m also assuming someone reads these things and helps edit. Perhaps I assume incorrectly?)

Then there’s Paul Hertelendy’s review which begins with this:

Last Saturday operaficionados had to decide between two opening nights: Either catch yet another go-round of the San Francisco Opera’s “The Italian in Algiers” (borrowed from the Santa Fe Opera), or catch San Jose’s new production of an arresting 20th-century opus. The San Jose company’s budget is not one-tenth of the SFO’s. And its opener offered not one-tenth the troy-weight of jewelry in view, either.

The choice proved to be a no-brainer.

One of the tautest evenings of sheer theater in the 22 seasons of Opera San Jose, surged from Robert Ward’s “The Crucible” (1961), which opened at the magnificently restored California Theater.

Reading that, I made the assumption he went to our opening night performance. But reading the entire article I came across this:

The voices Sept. 11 were loud, perhaps an instance of oversinging as a result of opening-show energy.

Oh. So the “no-brainer” was to go to San Francisco Opera’s performance on opening night and go to ours the next day? I don’t know if that’s what he did, but he reviewed Sunday afternoon’s performance rather than opening night. Am I totally stupid, or did other readers come to the same conclusion as I after reading the first paragraph? (I can be awfully slow, I know!) Go ahead … let me know if you think I’m stupid. I want the truth. I can (sniffle, sniffle) handle the truth.

Still, it was a very positive review. I enjoy those! And don’t think for a minute that I believe all reviewers should go to opening night, either. I just didn’t understand the opening paragraph.

(Hmmm. Perhaps I’m entering the danger zone here, eh? I don’t mean to be reviewing the reviewers. Honest and true!)
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