REVIEWS
PAGLIACCI (Florida Grand Opera, January 2024)
“Conductor Gregory Buchalter drew playing of exceptional brilliance and subtlety from the orchestra. He brought a light, deft touch to the commedia music and drew clarity and coordination from the chorus in the crowd scenes.”
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TOSCA (Florida Grand Opera, March 2023)
“Conductor Gregory Buchalter’s interpretation of Puccini’s score was masterful, balancing the dramatic intensity of the story with the musical beauty of the score. The orchestra’s playing was impeccable, providing a lush and emotive backdrop for the singers”.
https://www.schmopera.com/a-triumph-for-tosca-at-the-adrienne-arsht-center/
“Gregory Buchalter led a taut performance that fully conveyed the tense drama and lyricism of Puccini’s music. The orchestra played with strength, luster and seamless flow throughout the opera’s three acts”.
https://southfloridaclassicalreview.com/2023/03/fgo-serves-up-a-riveting-and-combustible-tosca/
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A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Florida Grand Opera, January 2022)
“Previn’s busy orchestral writing is complex and unrelenting. Indeed some of the work’s most imaginative moments come in the instrumental interludes between scenes. Gregory Buchalter masterfully coordinated the score’s shifting meters and textures. His expert pacing and total command drew outstanding playing from the ensemble while never overwhelming the singers.”
“One of the reasons to savor this production is conductor Gregory Buchalter and the orchestra’s mastery of Previn’s difficult expressive score with so many styles from dissonant jazz to lyrical Puccini woven together and sometimes intentionally interrupting each other. ”
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RIGOLETTO (Opera Orlando, April 2022)
“Buchalter’s presence in the pit was perhaps the biggest advantage this performance had. Here was an opera specialist in control of the music. Orchestra, chorus and principals were supported and inspired.
Her defining aria – “Caro nome che il mio cor” in sympatico with Buchalter’s conducting- stopped the worries of the world for a brief moment.
the Act III quartet- there was magic in the air. It is my choice to give the majority of the credit for this to Buchalter who artfully balanced orchestra and soloists so that all four voices could be perceived simultaneously.”
//alc-pro.com/reviews/f/saturday-april-232022
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MADAMA BUTTERFLY – Opera Las Vegas June 12, 2015
“It is the conductor who holds the entire performance together and Gregory Buchalter’s attention to detail made this production memorable. His interpretation involved brisk pacing and increasing tension along with subtly nuanced expressivity as the gripping story drew ever nearer to its inevitable conclusion. Buchalter, the company’s artistic director, is a find for Opera Las Vegas. I wish they would present more than one opera a year with this fine conductor.”
– Opera Today (Maria Nockin) June 18, 2015, “Opera Las Vegas Presents Exquisite ‘Madama Butterfly'”
“Gregory Buchalter conducted the superb Opera Las Vegas orchestra with confidence.”
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI – Opera Fairbanks July 3, 2014
“The orchestra, conducted by Gregory Buchalter, was spot-on from the first notes of the overture to the end.”
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE – Opera Las Vegas June 2014
“Opera Las Vegas Artistic Director and conductor Gregory Buchalter, who is also…with the Metropolitan Opera, made a dashing figure as he led the Opera Las Vegas orchestra in a vivacious performance of the world’s most famous opera overture. He continued with a confident hand throughout the performance, ably supported by the production’s outstanding musicians and singers.”
“Maestro Gregory Buchalter gave his artists enough room to create meaningful characterizations. Together with the singers, orchestra, and recitative harpsichordist Karen McCann, he gave us a wonderful rendition of Rossini’s beloved comic opera. This excellent performance bodes well for Opera Las Vegas, from which that city’s citizens and guests can hope to enjoy more great opera in the near future.”
– Opera Today (Maria Nockin) June 11, 2014, “Opera Las Vegas Presents Stellar Barber of Seville”
OLIVO E PASQUALE – Amore Opera October-November 2012
“Ensembles build with Donizetti’s characteristic burbling energy, a vibrancy captured by Gregory Buchalter’s conducting….”
“Gregory Buchalter led the orchestra with visible enthusiasm, and kept the ensemble laudably tight and action briskly-paced….”
–Opera Obsession, October 29, 2012, “Bene! Bravi! Benedetti! Olivo e Pasquale at Amore Opera”
“…led ably and with brio by conductor Gregory Buchalter.”
I DUE to FIGARO – Amore Opera October 2011
“[Amore Opera’s] orchestra under Gregory Buchalter played well….”
–Opera News (John Yohalem) January 2012
“The New York operatic scene was treated to a real rarity last night – a conductor functioning in a repertoire he does well… Gregory Buchalter really is a first-rate conductor for this (he’s worked all over, including at the MET)….”
–OPERA-L Archives (“Beckmesserschmitt”), October 19, 2011
“Gregory Buchalter, conducting, holds the piece together solidly… More Mercadante, maestro, please.”
–Village Voice (Michael Feingold) October 26, 2011
“…very capable Maestro Gregory Buchalter…didn’t disappoint and successfully forged precision and expressiveness from his orchestra throughout.”
–Stage Partners (Amy Armstrong) October 19, 2011
“Whether thanks to longer rehearsals or the bel canto experience of conductor Gregory Buchalter, the orchestra seemed more coordinated and energetic in the Mercadante than the Mozart [referring to another Amore Opera conductor of Marriage of Figaro performed earlier].”
–Opera Obsession (Lucy Barnhouse) October 19, 2011
“…a delightful production, conducted with panache by Gregory Buchalter.”
–Harry Forbes on Film and Footlights October 26, 2011
“Gregory Buchalter conducted with brio, keeping the pace vigorous as it should be in this opera.”
–MusicalCriticism.com (Daniel Foley), November 6, 2011
DON GIOVANNI – Opera Fairbanks July 9, 2010
“Musical director Gregory Buchalter shows real sensitivity for Mozart and leads the orchestra in a disciplined and nimble performance that doesn’t overwhelm the singers. It is something of a marvel considering the orchestra is massed behind the singers.”
–Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (Robert Hannon) July 10, 2010
FAUST – Opera Camerata of Washington: June 15, 2009
“With a generally solid pickup orchestra and a lustily enthusiastic chorus providing support, conductor Gregory Buchalter led a red-blooded, perceptively shaped account of the score.”
– The Washington Post (Joe Banno) June 16, 2009
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL – Spoleto Festival May 29, 2005
“…thanks to an energized Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the flexible conducting of Gregory Buchalter, it was an overwhelming success.”
– The Charleston Post (Jeff Johnson) May 30, 2005
SALOMÉ – Savonlinna Opera Festival August 2001
“The performance had the audience under its spell………..If the Novaya Opera Orchestra wasn’t at its best in Don Giovanni it certainly succeeds in Salomé. The young conductor Gregory Buchalter is able to get soft legatos as well as powerful death fanfares out of the orchestra and singers. Buchalter is very patient in keeping the volume down in the beginning and then adding power and intensity as the drama intensifies. At first, the conductor for Salomé was to be Don Giovanni’s Roderick Brydon but based on both premieres one can only be happy for this young conductor who got to conduct Salomé.”
– Itäsavo (Riitta-Leena Lempinen) August 2, 2001
“Salomé was a strong performance which made the Los Angeles Opera visit worth while. The Novaya Opera Orchestra as conducted by Gregory Buchalter got its act together.”
– Helsingin Sanomat (Hannu-IIari Lampila) August 2, 2001
OPERA CAMERATA OF WASHINGTON CONCERT – July 2, 2001
“Gregory Buchalter’s debut Saturday as conductor and artistic director of The Opera Camerata of Washington was spectacular……..under Buchalter’s leadership the orchestra sounded alert and buoyant in familiar opera overtures and excerpts, and his unobtrusive, acutely sensitive accompaniments of arias and duets sung by soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and tenor Francisco Casanova showed real musicianship.”
– The Washington Post (Ronald Broun) July 2001
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA -Merkin Hall, November 2016
“The orchestra played exceptionally well for Maestro Buchalter. The introduction set the scene with its luscious melody and the Maestro achieving impressive clarity.”
– Voce di Meche November 13, 2016, “Martha Cardona Opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana”
REVIEWS AS CHORUS MASTER
PETER GRIMES – Santa Fe Opera
“Gregory Buchalter’s forces had mastered every nuance of Britten’s score: fragments of gossip, slander, and rumor cohered into formidable choral numbers.”
– Opera News (Simon Williams) November 2005
“When the full might of the orchestra was joined to the whole ensemble (a large and powerful chorus masterfully prepared by Chorus Master Gregory Buchalter), the effect was riveting”.
– Ionarts (Charles T. Downey) July 24, 2005 (read the article)
“The huge choruses were magnificently done, much honor going to SFO music director Alan Gilbert for his leadership and choral director Gregory Buchalter.”
– Opera Today (J. A. Van Sant) August 23, 2005
“The important chorus contributions betoken fine musical preparation by Gregory Buchalter.”
– Dallas Morning News (Scott Cantrell) August 6, 2005
TURANDOT – Santa Fe Opera
“The orchestra, under Alan Gilbert, provided expressive support, while Gregory Buchalter’s cohesive chorus was yet another character itself.”
– The Albuquerque Tribune (Margaret M. Barela) July 8, 2005
CARMEN – Santa Fe Opera
“Most impressive of all were the extraordinarily well sung and convincingly choreographed choral scenes, with the apprentice singers, under the expert direction of chorus master Gregory Buchalter, in top form.”
– Ionarts (Charles T. Downey) August 6, 2006
“Gregory Buchalter’s chorus sang well.”
Musical America (Sarah Bryan Miller) August 7, 2006
BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA – Santa Fe Opera
“The men’s chorus, beautifully prepared by Gregory Buchalter, sounded particularly rich”.
The Albuquerque Tribune (Margaret M. Barela) July 15, 2005
“Choral contributions by Gregory Buchalter are superb.”
– Dallas Morning News (Scott Cantrell) August 5, 2005
