Powder Her Face Receives Glowing Reviews!

Posted December 6th, 2011

 

“Maestro and Opera Vista's artistic director Viswa Subbaraman pulled out all the stops for this work, and the four singers, who, except for the Duchess, double and triple up as other characters, were exceptionally good. This is terribly complicated music -- what with its fishing reels and bowls of water and other effects -- but Subbaraman made it all sound easy, drawing out the score with a lover's rapt attention.”

-Houston Press

 

“If you want to witness great singing and acting, if you want to hear the epitome of the post-modern aesthetic in very late 20th century opera, this performance is for you.”

-culturemap

 

"The fifth anniversary season for Hous- ton’s contemporary opera troupe, Opera Vista (OV), has surely been full of mixed emotions for founder and artistic direc- tor Viswa Subbaraman. After opening the season for an audience of 300–500 at Bayou Bend with a troublesome production of the rarely produced opera “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Philip Glass, Subbaraman and his company set a new standard for themselves as they turned out the best performance in their short history with the recent Houston premiere of Thomas Adés’ controversial opera “Powder Her Face” at the Hobby Center’s Zilkha Hall."

-Arts and Culture Houston

Powder Her Face

Posted October 30th, 2011

We are pleased to announce that tickets are now available for our performance of Thomas Adès Powder Her Face.

 

 

Thursday November 10th @ 8pm

Friday November 11th @ 8pm

Zilkha Hall

The Hobby Center

800 Bagby

Houston, TX 77002

Thomas Ades’ Powder her Face is considered one of the most controversial operas of the past two decades. Detailing the marriage and subsequent divorce of the Duchess of Argyll, the story begins on the cusp of the duchess’s eviction from the hotel room she’s called home for the past two decades and follows her from a life of grandeur to a life of penniless obscurity. While considered quite a risqué opera, both my and Sandra Bernhard’s interpretation of the piece really tries to show the sadness surrounding the Duchess as people abandon her one by one.

To purchase tickets please visit the Hobby Center's website:

http://www.thehobbycenter.org/?q=node/873

 

Cast and Production Staff

The Duchess - Cassandra Black

The Maid - Kelly Waguespack

The Electrician - Ben Robinson

The Hotel Manager - Kyle Albertson

Artistic Director and Conductor: Viswa Subbaraman

Stage Director: Sandra Bernhard

Stage Manager: Debs Ramser

Costumer: Fran Wygant

Interns: Alex Lawler and Jen Barnes

 

Photo by Shannon Langman, courtesy of www.ShannonLangmanPhotography.com

 

 

 

 

 

OPERA VISTA and PROHIBITION PRESENT

Posted October 7th, 2011

The Dirty Duchess Party

Thursday, October 20, 2011
5175 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77056 (Google Map)

Help us celebrate Opera Vista's Fifth Anniversary and the kick-off of OV's next production: Thomas Ades' Powder Her Face. A portion of the proceeds will go towards Opera Vista.

Click here for more information