A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRe

by Andre Previn
Production/Director: Brad Dalton
Set Designer: Brad Dalton
Lighting Designers: Duane Schuler
Costume Designer: Johann Stegmeir

presented at *Los Angeles Opera 2014, *Lyric Opera of Chicago 2013, *Carnegie Hall 2013, *the Barbican in London w/the LSO 2003 and Opera San Jose 2016 (*with Renee Fleming)

“In Brad Dalton’s staging, a pretty young man in a white suit is an eerie presence throughout. As Blanche takes leave of the real world with a haunting repetition of the words ‘whoever you are,’ she takes the ghostly young man, the love of her life who proved so elusive, by the hand. Hell, I’m not sure that’s even better than the original.” – Edward Seckerson, The London Independent

“Alongside the London Symphony Orchestra, this made for a riveting performance, none more gripping than the torrid outburst depicting the rape, which was effectively staged as a frozen tableau under lurid red lights in Brad Dalton’s production.” – Richard Morrison, The London Times

 “Brad Dalton’s production makes intelligent sense of the space. ‘Streetcar’ won’t get a better performance of the opera than this one.” – Barry Millington, Evening Standard

“The staging devised by director Brad Dalton flies by and has that crucial quality of drawing you into situations and making you keen to know how things are going to turn out.” – Geoffrey Norris, The Daily Telegraph

“The audience responded with a long ovation, especially for Ms. Fleming, who had finally brought ‘Streetcar’ to New York” – Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times

“The greatest surprise I’ve had recently was the pleasure I found in Los Angeles Opera’s ‘Streetcar.’ The characters stand out in high relief against the spare surroundings as cannily directed by Brad Dalton. The presentation was an ideal example of semi-staged opera: visually alluring but restrained enough to allow you to hear the score with new ears. The work’s dramatic arc felt more vivid with fewer distractions.” – Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times

“The response to ‘Streetcar’ on Sunday was rapturous.” – Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times

“The final image of Blanche in white beside a young man recalled her tragic wedding, the innocence that was destroyed and the genteel hope that has now been crushed for good. Her hallucinatory flashbacks of her ill-fated marriage seem to emerge as much from the production as from her mind, so closely are the two expressionistically bound up with each other. This is the most moving rendering of Williams' masterpiece since Van Hove's harrowing anti-realistic staging with the aptly named Marvel dominating her production with the same fearless emotional command as the equally marvelous Fleming.” – Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times

“Director Dalton created a convincing, semi-abstract theatre space for the production, which is sold out for all four performances.” – John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune

“In this steamy opera adaptation, ‘Streetcar’ ignites the Lyric Opera stage. The production features the musicians out of the pit and onto the stage; Tennessee Williams would approve. The music and the acting intertwine to create a fluid synergy.” – Katy Walsh, Chicago Theatre Review

“Directed with great flair and imagination by director Brad Dalton, the artful staging worked very well indeed.” – Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review

 “Director Brad Dalton has wisely moved away from the extravagant realism of the San Francisco production to a more psychological staging which includes Stanley’s friends as a kind of Greek chorus, and also includes a vision of Blanche’s husband.” – Dennis Polkow, New City Stage

“While Brad Dalton’s direction and scenery were mightily effective, they were daringly spare. The orchestra is placed upstage behind a simple platform that juts out toward the audience over the usual pit. This creates an immediacy that allows director Dalton to make every gesture connect. Every nuance of character relationship has a visceral impact. Mr. Dalton’s direction was a model of creativity and restraint amounting to quite a brilliant theatrical effect. Opera San Jose’s impressive ‘Streetcar’ should be required viewing for all who care about adventurous programming and first-class stagecraft.” – James Sohre, Opera Today