REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Ernani” (Lyric Opera of Chicago, October 2009)
"Lyric's excellent new staging by Jose Maria Condemi pointedly reconfirmed Ernani's viability in the repertoire…the characters, as rendered through Piave's adaption of Victor Hugos' Hernani, do not exactly provide opportunity for great interpretative depth but Condemi admirably found a reasonable multi-dimensionality in them" Mark Thomas Ketterson for OPERA NEWS
“Lyric’s new Ernani was presented at a level of excellence that few opera companies could afford these days. Jose Maria Condemi’s direction was a showing in good taste, precise staging and consummate theatrical flair” Daniel Lara for OPERA ACTUAL
“A funny thing happened on the way to the final curtain of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s new production of “Ernani’’. At the first intermission, the audience was buzzing, semi-stunned by the convolutions of the story set in 16th-century Spain. By the second intermission, the absurdities of this early Verdi opera and by the final curtain, they no longer mattered. Director Jose Maria Condemi’s staging was equally deft, managing to keep both principals and chorus on the move without resorting to stale stage business” Wynne Delacoma for MUSICAL AMERICA
"ROUSING…Jose Maria Condemi's staging is traditional, conservative and respectful of the drama. Visually it's a sumptuous show. Scott Marr has created a Spanish Renaissance fashion. The lavish sets, lit by Duane Schuler, include towering, ornately decorated, Moorish-style castle walls, carved mahogany doors and a serpentine column set on a steeply raked parquet floor." John von Rhein for CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“ENERGETIC….Lyric has created an energetic new production of Verdi’s early masterpiece Ernani. This production is one of Lyric’s more inspired offerings.” James L Zychowicz FOR SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL
"The young Argentinean-born director Jose Maria Condemi in his first new production at Lyric understands the motivations of these melodramatic characters and is able to take them seriously while having some fun with them." Andrew Patner for CHICAGO SUN TIMES
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"Director Jose Maria Condemi bravely took Piave's creaky libretto at face value and deftly mitigated many of the staging pitfalls, drawing admirable acting from his singers." Lawrence A. Johnson for CHICAGO CLASSICAL REVIEW
“A new production of an opera is always an anticipated event. That's one of the reasons the Lyric Opera of Chicago's presentation of Giuseppe Verdi's "Ernani" is such a treat and such a feast for the senses Betty Mohr for THE SOUTHTWON STAR
“Ernani is a rip-roaring production, an irresistible gem that is brought to thrilling life in Lyric Opera’s stunning production” Todd Shuman for OPERA ONLINE
“Lyric Opera of Chicago has not only brought together an outstanding roster of soloists to fill the parts, but the company has also mounted in this new production a splendid scenic backdrop and sets reminiscent of sixteenth-century Spain” Salvatore Calomino for OPERA TODAY
“Lyric Opera has done immeasurable service to the cause of Early Verdi by creating a stylish new production of “Ernani”. Stage director Jose Maria Condemi hit the ground running with his intelligent staging of the first scene, the bandit’s chorus. For the rest of the opera, we move indoors into the elegant interiors designed by Scott Marr. In a coup de theatre as King Carlo stands on the tomb, it sinks into the ground as the church hierarchy enters the chamber to invest Carlo with the robes and symbols of the Emperor’s power. The Lyric’s production was an unqualified success musically, dramatically, and visually. William Burnett for OPERA WARHORSES
“Ainadamar” (Cincinnati Opera, July 2009)
“Ainadamar was a huge musical and dramatic success. A new production gave director Jose Maria Condemi a chance to work closely with his singers and create a show of visual beauty, grace and touching drama” Charles Parsons for AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
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“Tosca” (San Francisco Opera, June 2009)
“PURE POWER…San Francisco Opera’s latest production stressed pure energy and power both in its singing and acting…the differences come largely in the small touches and decisions notable those made by talented stage director Jose Maria Condemi” Michael Vaughn for THE OPERA CRITIC
“STRIKING… Condemi proved that a director can follow all of Puccini’s explicit stage directions and still make interesting innovations in the stage action…he approaches staging as do several contemporary stage directors, such as David McVicar. Each member of the chorus or “extra” in a non-speaking role becomes a personality with an individual story. Such details are seen in the second act as the police functionaries interact with the masked specialist in torture and the judge who observes the proceedings in the interest of the state. But in “Tosca” it is absolutely crucial to be innovative only where one is not obstrusive on the opera’s traditions. Condemi’s “Tosca”, as was his Chicago “Tristan”, was a brilliant rethinking of how to move people around these familiar settings.” William for OPERA WARHORSES
“Tristan und Isolde” (Lyric Opera Chicago, January 2009)
“Lyric Opera cogently reaffirmed the masterwork’s supremacy with a visually resplendent mounting…both principals made the deepest impression in the creation of palpable erotic chemistry…their physical interaction was so tenderly intimate that one almost felt like a voyeur” Mark Thomas Ketterson for OPERA NEWS
“SOARING…There are reasons they call it grand opera and some of the best were on display when Lyric Opera of Chicago opened its mesmerizing production of Tristan und Isolde….it can be a static opera but stage director Jose Maria Condemi deployed the singers well” Wynne Delacoma for CHICAGO SUN TIMES
“EXCEPTIONALLY MOVING…the combined elements produced a fine synergy that was as near as Gesamkunstwerk as one might hope to experience anywhere…it is laudable to see Wagner’s stage directions honored…attention to details give this production a firm sense of integrity” James L. Zychowics for SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL
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“ELECTRIFYING…by the end of the first act words like “powerful”, “moving” and “intense” were in the lips of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s patrons. At the end of the night, an even more select vocabulary had emerged: “monumental”, “unforgettable” and even “historic …few experiences in the opera rival a great Tristan und Isolde. Producing such a performance requires not only flawless singing but also true commitment on the part of the cast to psychological nuanced portrayals of their characters. Lyric Opera of Chicago showcased a cast that excelled in both areas and deserved all the superlatives lauded from the crowd after one of the most electrifying nights in Lyric’s recent history” Paul Wooley for CONCERTONET.COM
“ANOTHER TRIUMPH…the four-hour plus opera moves with lightning speed…sensitively directed by Jose Maria Condemi, this production marks another Lyric Opera triumph” Betty Mohr for THE SOUTHTOWN STAR
“Orfeo ed Euridice” (West Bay Opera, February 2009)
‘Worth the wait...the WBO audience had every reason to cheer. The care and imagination that director Jose Maria Condemi lavished on their ostensibly low-budget production made for a marvelous evening of theater and music. The production managed to balance Gluck’s rather static musical tableaux with constant movement” Jason Victor Serinus for OPERA NEWS
“AIMING FOR THE STARS….even in these tough economic times, West Bay Opera presented a well-conceived production that caught much of the radiant splendor of Gluck’s masterpiece….Condemi’s staging abandons fussy period trappings in favor of a clean contemporary setting…what registered on Condemi’s staging was characterization and dramatic focus as well as flashes of wit” Georgia Rowe for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
“Die Zauberflöte” (Opera San Jose, April 2008)
“SPECTACULAR…Fly to the California Theater as Opera San Jose is presenting a production of The Magic Flute that is big fun, deeply cast, stunning to look and sophisticated in whole new ways for this company…the key to the production if director Jose Maria Condemi, who has universalized the story by layering in an Asian element…the final scene is a spangled fairy tale
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come to life” Richard Scheinin for SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
“LAVISHLY STAGED...Opera San Jose continues to enthrall audiences with a completely rethought and lavishly stage production. The concept that director Jose Maria Condemi brought to life was a mixture of Asian influences ranging from Japanese Noh play to giant puppets and masks…it all operated on several levels with an opening night audience appreciating the voices on display as much as the intricate staging” Mort Levine for MILPITAS POST
“La Bohème” (Seattle Opera, May 2007)
“FLAWLESS….Seattle Opera’s handsome, impressively crafted La Bohème. Director Jose Maria Condemi gives us the piece straight…this production expertly realized some many of those moments that make the opera beloved, living an breathing as a Bohème ought do to…it left me not only thoroughly engaged but freshly amazed at what a supreme example of music-theater this is” Gavin Borchert for SEATTLE WEEKLY
“GEM OF LA BOHÈME AT SEATTLE OPERA…is such a well-crafted opera that in can survive almost any production but Seattle Opera isn’t serving just any production. The show is a gem in which handsome sets, believable staging and careful casting all combine to great effect….the action speeds along at an effortlessly natural pace, thanks to director Jose Maria Condemi. He has done a brilliant job at sorting out an impossible melee of street vendors and all the Bohemians in Act II. Condemi keeps the acting natural, perfectly attuned to both music and libretto…remember to bring your hankies, this one has a deathbed scene to wring the heart” Melinda Bargreen for SEATTLE TIMES
“THIS BOHÈME IS FRESH AND WARM AND TRUE TO PUCCINI…Seattle Opera’s production is old-fashioned in style and intentions. It is also splendid and immensely satisfying. Jose Maria Condemi’s staging works in defining character, creating tableaus and keeping the action moving. I suppose this is all predictable but the question is whether a production is fresh and warm. This one is” R.M Campbell for SEATTLE POST- INTELLIGENCER
“SEATTLE’S DEFT BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY…Seattle Opera’s production is solidly grounded and
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sincere. Gimmicks and fussiness are absent, allowing Puccini to work his sure magic. The second act epitomizes a director’s challenge. Director Jose Maria Condemi is sensitive and alert to Puccinian detail” Thomas May for CROSSCUT SEATTLE
“IT’S EASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOHÈME….Seattle Opera’s production is a winning combination of sets, costumes, imaginative staging and strong vocal performances. Director Jose Maria Condemi brings all the elements together to create a charming and irresistible production” Deborah Stone for NORTHWEST NEWS
“BRILLIANT…a sumptuously traditional production and a fine end to a season… Jose Maria Condemi’s nuanced stage direction is a cohesive, no-nonsense approach in which everything works dramatically to the service of the story and the singers” Mike Murray for HERALD NET SEATTLE
“ALL THE RIGHT NOTES…Under the able direction of Jose Maria Condemi, the singers have scrupulously developed their characters and relationships so that every moment builds on the one before it in an production that is emotionally gratifying and anything by stale” Maggie Larrick for QUEEN ANNE NEWS
“A GREAT DEAL OF PLEASURE… the stage action is managed in masterful fashion by director Jose Maria Condemi…he never puts a foot wrong, whether in the intimate scenes of the outer acts or in elucidating the tumultuous crush of persons that congregate in Act II” Bernard Jacobson for SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL
“Luisa Miller” (Canadian Opera Company-April 2007)
“VERDI’S LUISA NOT BETRAYED…a clear operatic production where the director, conductor, singers and design all work towards a common purpose: telling a good story” John Terauds for TORONTO STAR
“STRONG…the Canadian Opera Company production of Luisa Miller is strong…young argentinian director Jose Maria Condemi uses economy for strength in storytelling” Paula Citron for CLASSICAL 96.3 FM
“A DARING, MUST-SEE EXPERIENCE….Director Jose Maria Condemi makes postmodernizing
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Verdi’s 1849 love story look easy. The spectacle has an absorbing sheen and wherever the production isn’t provocative, it’s still spot on” John Keillor for NATIONAL POST TORONTO
“A STUNNING MASTERPIECE….COC”s production of Luisa Miller is a feast for the senses” Lorianna De Giorgio for TORONTO TOWN CRIER
“La Cenerentola” (Merola Opera Program/SFO July, 2007)
“CENERENTOLA BEFITS MEROLA’S GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY….what training program? The young artists produced a near-flawless, thoroughly professional production. There have been many notable Merola productions in the past but I cannot remember one with more all-around excellence, quite without a weak link. Director Jose Maria Condemi was the self-effacing, efficient stage director” Janos Gereben for SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
“A FAIRY-TALE CINDERELLA…Jose Maria Condemi’s direction often coordinated the action with the phrasing of the music…he let the personalities of the singers and their acting come through while occasionally obtruding his own work” John Bender for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
“Barbiere di Siviglia” (Lake George Opera- June 2006)
“SOLID…Big thumbs up for this solid, colorful, thoroughly professional and eminently enjoyable production. It surpassed all expectations in every area we rate opera productions. Director Jose Maria Condemi blended the production into a single whole so that no one part ever looked out of place or detracted from the quality of this truly entertaining production” Paul Joseph Walkowski for OPERAONLINE
“WITTY AND INTELLIGENT…inventive direction and a chorus that was not merely a singing appendage but a lively participant in the fun…what is really admirable about Jose Maria Condemi’s direction is that he didn’t find it necessary to add bawdy burlesque at every turn of phrase. There were plenty of funny bits but like the music itself, Condemi’s production was witty and intelligent” Doug de Lisle for THE TROY RECORD
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“IMAGINATIVE…Lake George Opera opened its 45th season with a strong, imaginative and visually appealing Barber of Seville. Director Jose Maria Condemi used every entrance and exit in the hall. The audience loved it. It added to the comic atmosphere that was done at full tilt with fast pacing throughout” Geraldine Freeman for DAILY GAZETTE
“A CUT ABOVE….Lake George Opera’s Barber of Seville is a cut above… a smashing production. Director Condemi uses the entire theater as a playground, working it like a malleable lump of clay. There are many comic turns and the opera played at a lively pace throughout” Mae. G Banner for THE SARATOGIAN
“Maria Padilla” (Minnesota Opera- March 2005)
“EMERGING TALENT …Minnesota Opera is presenting a major emerging talent in director Jose Maria Condemi, a thoughtful man whose creative vision is at the service of opera and audience” William Randall for MINNEAPOLIS/SAINT PAUL MAGAZINE
“MINNESOTA OPERA SHINES …Maria Padilla may be rarely performed but it’s equally rare to have a creative team bring its vision to life with such success as this” Rob Hubbard for PIONEER PRESS
“DELECTABLE RARITY …Jose Maria Condemi’s direction was efficient and particularly effective in the handling of the large chorus, which had and ominously military precision of movement, all contributing to a thoroughly enjoyable evening” Heidi Waleson for the WALL STREET JOURNAL
“MARIA PADILLA GETS BEL-CANTO BRAVO ... thoughtfully staged by Jose Maria Condemi, dramatically telling touches” Michael Anthony for the STAR TRIBUNE
“OPERATIC TREASURE…Minnesota Opera has found operatic treasure with its new production of Donizetti's Maria Padilla…Stage director Jose Maria Condemi's movement told the story clearly” John Koopman for OPERA NEWS
“Cosí Fan Tutte” (San Francisco Opera-June 2005)
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“THIS TIME THEY GOT IT RIGHT ... the San Francisco Opera Summer reprise of last fall’s production of Cosí fan Tutte opened with changes in personnel that turned the trick…the four principals who returned from last time all seemed much surer and in command than before, more interesting, more nuanced…the production went smoothly this time under the direction of Jose Maria Condemi” Robert Commanday for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
“THIS COSĺ DOES NOT CHEAT …Jose Maria Condemi’s revival continues to illuminate this familiar work with the help of just a few well-chosen directorial conceits, balancing the demands of comedy and seriousness” Joshua Kosman for SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“Cosí fan Tutte” (Seattle Opera Young Artists’ Program- April 2004)
“YOUNG TALENT STRONG WITH ENSEMBLE ENERGY …one feels the singers working genuinely with one another. They actually act as well as sing, moving in ways that trained actors do but not always singers….everything made sense, aided by Jose Maria Condemi’s staging. Condemi has a sprightly hand, at once exuberant and extravagant” R.M Campbell for the SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER
“Director Jose Maria Condemi kept the comedy light on its feet with pitch perfect characterizations wedded to clever staging…. the company’s emphasis on credible acting was evident” Maggie Larrick for the QUEEN ANNE NEWS
“Don Giovanni” (Cincinnati Opera-July 2004)
“STUNNING” ... the production, directed by Jose Maria Condemi, made excellent use of the stage; people appeared and disappeared through a series of trap doors. Playing spaces were well defined and the atmosphere was appropriately dark and foreboding. There were marvelous details” Brian Kellow for OPERA NEWS
“SUPERB” …Director Condemi’s staging never overdoes the slapstick and he inserts clever stage business that heightens the character’s personalities. It all moves gracefully and is a successful
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mesh of music and movement” Anne Arenstein for CITYBEAT
“ARRESTING…..The Mozart opera, directed here by Jose Maria Condemi, was visually arresting, proceeded with the right kind of ambiguous tone (despite the comic elements, this is, after all, a tale of callous and murderous amorality) and featured a strong cast that impressed for its individual strengths and its sense of ensemble Wayne Gooding for OPERA CANADA
“Condemi was able to interpolate his own excellent ideas into the production, emphasizing the by-play between Don Giovanni and Leporello and bringing a much-needed strength to the relationship between Don Ottavio and Donna Anna” Charles Parsons for AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
“Roméo et Juliette” (Festival Opera- August 2004)
“COMPELLING …five years ago, Jose Maria Condemi was an apprentice stage director in the San Francisco Opera Merola Program. Today, he is one of the most promising and impressive directors in all opera. Condemi’s production of Roméo et Juliette would be a fine accomplishment anywhere but here in Walnut Creek it’s a virtual miracle. Condemi’s job was to produce an opera on a near-zero budget; out of that challenge came staging that was contemporary, compelling and consistently supportive of the work itself. In other word, a Regieoper on behalf of the composer, the music, and the audience, not for the director’s own greater glory. It was all fluent, credible and thoughtful. Throughout the evening Condemi presented a consistently gripping and satisfying production” Janos Gereben, for OAKLAND POST
“CLEVERLY PRESENTED …if ever there was a testament to the virtues of making do, it’s the surprisingly effective production of Roméo and Juliette being presented by Festival Opera. Condemi deployed his players with understated cunning.” Joshua Kosman for SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“STRIKINGLY SIMPLE …the performance began on a striking visual note: as the curtain rose on a backdrop of blue sky filled with birds, Roméo and Juliette stood center stage, their backs to the audience as petals fell from the sky around them. That quality of striking simplicity was evident throughout the production”
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Georgia Rowe for CONTRA COSTA TIMES
“Don Pasquale” (Opera San Jose- Sept 2003) “INVENTIVE…..Condemi’s direction is filled with inventive staging and the performers respond with whole-hearted enthusiasm and vibrant energy. Together, they fill the opera with plenty of zest and charm. Touching moments also get their due, in particular the moment when Norina slaps Don Pasquale: Condemi sensitively scaled down the moment to give it the right touch of pathos for it to stand in contrast to the whirlwind of activity the story generates” Kelly Snyder for CONCERTONET
“La Bohème” (San Francisco Opera Center- July 2002)
“YOUNG CAST DAZZLES …An operatic performance as wondrously vibrant and moving as Saturday’s La Bohème does more than just provide a grand night of musical theater. It gives you hope for the future. The singing was beautiful…yet there was something else at work here, a sense of the importance of making opera into more than simply vocal display. One got the feeling that these singers understood what it meant to inhabit a role fully and to use their vocal abilities toward dramatic ends. Part of that was due to the production, a sumptuously detailed and imaginative staging directed by Jose Maria Condemi. “ Joshua Kosman for the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
”A WINNING BOHÈME …Few things in theatrical life are as certain as the electric effect of a well-managed production of La Bohème. The Merola Opera Program proved that again on Saturday night. Director Jose Maria Condemi placed the production in the Paris of the 1960’s, a perfect setting for the idealistic artists like Marcello and Rodolfo. Condemi had several excellent staging ideas; the play-fight in Act IV was delightful; his best idea was his conception of the Latin Quarter crowd scene in Act II…using stop-action poses, slow motion movement and broad stroke lighting changes, Condemi ingeniously created separated spaces when he needed to” Michael Zwiebach for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
“LA BOHÈME DOES IT AGAIN …The young Argentine Director Jose Maria Condemi came up with some fresh, often charming and always effective bits of stage business…if you weren’t there, you missed out on a terrific performance” Heuwell Tircuit for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
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“AN IRRESISTIBLE BOHÈME … Last weekend those who were involved in Merola’s charming version of La Bohème produced a shining work of marvelous staging, direction, casting and sterling vocal performance. On the small stage, director Jose Maria Condemi remained true to the vastness of Puccini’s timeless opera” Eleanor Ohman for THE SUN REPORTER-SAN FRANCISCO
“Susannah” (Festival Opera- August 2002)
“OH, WHAT A FINE SUSANNAH … STAGING ENHANCES THE STORY” …Festival Opera’s powerful new production boasts the same musical and dramatic assurance that enlivened so many of its earlier offerings…Saturday night’s performance was a keeper, marked by first-rate singing, starkly evocative stage direction by Jose Maria Condemi and strong conducting…the production wisely underscores the plain-spokenness of Floyd’s writing to create an effect of roughhewn eloquence…” Joshua Kosman for the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“WELL-TOLD TALE OF TREACHERY… EXCELLENCE IN ALL ASPECTS …Carlisle Floyd surely would be ecstatic with the riveting production of his masterpiece at Festival Opera…The show benefited from excellent direction…Jose Maria Condemi’s production built on Floyd’s taut pacing. Condemi has marvelous cinematic eye, especially useful in crowd scenes and his use of slow motion movement to shift focus is effective and wholly in keeping with the music. He also has done excellent work with the actors; the singers are emotionally committed and clearly thinking what’s going on and they actually listen to each other” Michael Zwiebach for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
“AIN’T IT A MEMORABLE NIGHT? … Those who were present at the opening night of Floyd’s Susannah must agree that the production surpassed anything that one had seen or heard at the Dean Lesher Center in recent memory…The simple and elegant production design by Jose Maria Condemi features atmospheric sets, costumes and projections…I was reminded once again how acting and singing are inseparably fused in opera at its finest, and that one would be hard pressed to tell where costumes, make-up, lighting, acting and singing severally end or begin – infused as they are into a grand, organic whole that is opera” Truman C. Wang for CLASSICAL VOICE REVIEW “FESTIVAL OPERA’S PRODUCTION REVERBERATES WITH PASSION, CONFLICT AND DRAMA …the power of this production reflects Jose Maria Condemi’s effective stage direction. Susannah’s nude bathing scene is exquisitely presented; in the final scene, a creatively deft piece
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of symbolism, a broken swing, whispers about the loss of innocence” Alice Grace Chalip for THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE
“Jose Maria Condemi’s adroit stage direction and coaching of the principal characters, as well as the well honed chorus, galvanized the production giving it intelligence and cohesiveness while leaving room for a certain amount of spontaneity” Patricia Beach Smith for THE SACRAMENTO BEE
“Festival Opera’s opening-night performance of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah offered a level of artistic accomplishment worthy of a major company. Jose Maria Condemi’s stage direction consistently added import to the proceedings” JASON SERINUS for OPERA NEWS (Online)
“La Cenerentola” (Bay Shore Lyric Opera- Oct 2001)
“ROLLICKING …stage director Jose Maria Condemi provided the alchemy that established and sustained the tissue of wit that filled the intimate Capitola Theater…Condemi choreographed blocking, posing, facial expressions, gestures and asides with fastidious detail and enchanting results but rather than call attention to itself it all fit within the larger spirit of Rossiniesque comedy” Scott McClelland for METRO SANTA CRUZ
“BSLO LA CENERENTOLA TRIUMPHS …the amazing thing about this presentation is the startling fact that something of this high caliber can be performed in this quirky beach town…I cant’ say enough fantastic things about this Cenerentola…clearly it is not an easy opera to pull off; the music, the pace, the vocal artistry needed ….it is all handled with expertise by the combined efforts of the conductor Alex Katsman and stage director Josemaria Condemi” Greg Archer for GOOD TIMES/SANTA CRUZ
“L’elisir d’amore” (Opera San Jose- Nov 2000)
“DONIZETTI DONE RIGHT …San Jose Opera fans got their first look at Argentinian director Jose Maria Condemi and I’m guessing they’ll be wanting more. Condemi pulled together a rollicking production full of general buffoonery and synchronized sight gags and closed the deal by eliciting wonderful comic performances from his principals.”
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Michael Vaughn for METRO
“AN IDEAL COMBINATION ….from the start things move swiftly….Belcore has witty stage movements, as do his enlisted men –simple but effective choreography that put to shame the basic strut-and-march routines exhibited in the San Francisco Opera’s recent production of the opera….much to recommend in this production” Leslie Valdez for SAN JOSE MERCURY
“Die Fledermaus” (2000 SFO/Western Opera Theater National Tour)
“LAVISH FARCE STAGED WITH JUST THE RIGHT BALANCE …The Western Opera Theater traveling production hit just the right comic balance …director Jose Maria Condemi let the popular speak for itself with few of the pratfalls and broad asides that often mar productions by pushing the material too far…” Milton Moore for THE DAY (CT)
“A VERY FULLFILLING FLEDERMAUS …I was incredibly impressed by this production of “Die Fledermaus …some opera productions focus entirely on the music but this production made great use of the sets, chorus and props…I enjoyed the interplay between characters and the great physical presence each performer had on stage. None of them were stodgy or stiff and at the same time the actions were not distracting. They made the stage more animated, drawing the audience into the hilarity of each situation…” Russel King for THE DAY CARDINAL (Madison, WI)
"Don Giovanni" (1999 SFO/Western Opera Theater National Tour)
"Director Jose Maria Condemi deserves much of the credit for the success of this particular production. He pushes his performers into more realistic actions and stage business that both enlivened the scenes and brought more than the usual numbers of laughs. Condemi's direction was so entertaining, the casting so right and the singing so sublime, the opera's nearly three-hour length seemed to fly by in a wink..." Pam Kragen for NORTH COUNTY TIMES
"…Jose Maria Condemi’s production featured plenty of physical comedy, paying enough attention to stage movement that one could follow the notoriously disjointed plot. Stage direction underlined the myriad charms of Mozart's orchestration. Part of the pleasure in such a production
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is watching young singers develop their own interpretations of familiar roles; it makes one appreciate how much more there is to opera than just words... " Heather Hadlock for SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"A BRAVURA PERFORMANCE BEGS AN ENCORE …In its third production in the city in the last four years, the Western Opera company of the San Francisco Opera didn't disappoint. Too many regional opera performances are over-directed and under-sung but "Don Giovanni" was on the right mark. The one-set-fits all production worked well and the costuming was lavish, with a reallife, slightly worn feel" Milton Moore for NEW LONDON DAY ARTS
"DON GIOVANNI SHINES WITH ATTITUDE AND ENERGY" …the touring production, staged by Jose Maria Condemi, proved that this wonderful work has some of the best comedy to be found in opera. Condemi's staging roped the serious elements into a treatment of the story that was deliciously comic without being frivolous... " Lukas Schulze for THE SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE
“River of Women” (Music Theatre Collective/Theater Artaud)
“Receiving its formal world premiere, Hector Armienta’s River of Women was offered to the public under the barest/leanest staging conditions. Even so, the few chairs on the empty and sparsely lit stage were all the fine cast (well prepared by stage director Jose Maria Condemi) needed to deploy Armienta’s gripping lyrical narrative. Despite the bare-bones production values, this performance was an effort quite evidently directed by a mature creative team with a clear understanding of artistic priorities” Ching Chang for SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
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