The opera opened this last weekend, and things went really well for Brian despite having a minor cold. The timing of health issues has matched singing obligations recently, but we are optimistic for no more colds for the rest of the opera run. I was able to attend the Sunday matinee (thanks to child care from my sister's family) and Brian sounded great and looks great too (I'll try to get some photos at the next show since this is the Shirtless in Seattle production, but here is a photo Brian sent to my cell phone- he originally said it was for my eyes only, but that was only after I showed it to my sister's whole family. And since several thousand audience members have seen him it is safe to share it here. Observe the spray tan glory). It is a very impressive production, complete with actual pearl diving. Brian has loved working with Seattle Opera.

The Seattle papers have responded very favorably to the show. Here are a few review snippets:

Brian Stucki, whose voice soars easily in the high register, as Nadir was graceful and often poignant. (Seattle PI)

Nadir, Brian Stucki displayed a pleasantly French tenor timbre, and phrased sensitively in his famous duet with Zurga. (Seattle Times)

Here is maybe our favorite review, not specifically about Brian but to give a nice overview of the whole opera. Brian found it on a humanities class blog who came to the preview night. For our friends who are fans of the show Little Britain, we like to think that Vicky Pollard is giving the following review:

Ok so I really liked The pearl Fishers, of course there was, for me at least, some racial/ignorant undertones. but like i really liked it. My favorite part that i liked the best was the whole third act. like when who was it, Zurga's bed thingy when up when he found out that Leila was the girl that saved him a long time ago, and when he put the whole village thingy on fire. Zurga was dead set on killing them both, but when he found out who Leila was, he risked his life for her. Its kind of faulty tho when you look at it, i mean he was gunna kill his best friend, but because she saved his life that long time ago, he saves 'em. I mean he could have looked the other way. Oh and i didn't like that i couldn't figure out which was Zurga or Nadir, but i liked it, but as i said in class, if it wwas in fact set in Mexico i believe i would have more to say, but because i cannot say the muic should have been this way or that way because i dont know really how Sri Lankan music sounds or really how they dress, even though im pretty sure they didn't wear close to nothing. so yeah.

Yeah but....no but... yeah but...

On a slightly related note, it was cute to read the kids' opera reviews because many of them commented about how they liked the opera more than they thought they would. If any of our blog readers want some opera homework, we are part of a discussion group at home and Brian lead a dialogue about the relevance of opera last June. Here is a link.