Tomer Zvulun<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://tomerzvulun.com/css/modulobox.min.css" media="screen"> </head> <body> <div class="header"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/">Tomer Zvulun</a></h1> <div id="menu" style="display: none;"> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/about">About</a></h1> </div> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/productions">Productions</a></h1> </div> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/gallery">Gallery</a></h1> </div> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/calendar">Calendar</a></h1> </div> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/press">Press</a></h1> </div> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/atlanta-opera">The Atlanta Opera</a></h1> </div> <div class="menu_item"> <h1><a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/contact">Contact</a></h1> </div> </div> </div> <div id="hamburger"><i class="material-icons">menu</i></div> <div class="container"> <div class="main"> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> The IU Opera Theater’s production of Gounod’s Faust offers a dramatic, dark and thoughtful production, in the capable hands of stage director Tomer Zvulun and designer C. David Higgins The first act opens with the doctor in the present day. The contemporary set is complete with a wide-screen TV that Mephistopheles uses to conjure up images of Marguerite. Following temptation, it travels back in time to Faust’s youth in 1930s Germany. The flashy, decadent set and costumes evoke Cabaret or The Blue Angel. The gaudy, garish set and lighting are more than matched by a large cast of beautifully dressed and coiffed choristers, each of whom seems to have a particular place and part in the festivities. This is only the first of many set arrangements; the evening is a rich one, with all the elements of theatre working together. Conducting for this energetic and engaging production is by David Effron.<br /> ~ George Walker, Indiana Public Media </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Production values are high. What one saw on Friday and Saturday evenings at the Musical Arts Center in the IU Opera Theater’s new staging of Gounod’s “Faust” was striking. C. David Higgins’ sets consist of elements that smoothly, sometimes magically, shift from scene to scene, sliding in from the wings and back, dropping from hidden heights and rising again, appearing and disappearing, changing so as not to disturb the flow of the performance. The concept for this production is a shared one, with visiting stage director Tomer Zvulun who has given the multitude of performers — the major characters, the minor, the important chorus — personality and dramatic purpose. As theater, this “Faust” works. Sets, lighting and dramatics coalesce into an effective production.<br /> ~ Peter Jacobi, Herald Times </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Stage director Tomer Zvulun had the brilliant idea of taking Opera Cleveland's Lucia into the mob world of the 1930's. Unlike a lot of attempts to drag historical operas kicking and screaming into other eras, this one works seamlessly. Erhard Rom's effective use of scrims and projections, Robert Wierzel's provocative lighting -- sometimes warm and golden, other times harsh as Klieg lights producing ominous shadows, and Carol Bailey's fine sense of period costume -- all work in harmony to create the look and feel of a period whose themes of "violence, murder, family honor, oppressed women, ruthless men, politics, social status and vengeance" as Zvulun says in his director's notes, are as much at home in The Godfather as they are in the world of Ravenswood Castle and the Wolf's Crag. And sometimes the visual aspects of this production are as arresting as scenes in the Godfather movies. When Lucia appears in Enrico's office, the huge image of the family matriarch suddenly turns into an image of violent death. When the (enormous) doors to Lucia's bedroom are flung open in the third act, there is blood everwhere. Near the conclusion of the mad scene, Lucia disrobes and almost crosses the line from PG to R before a gangster kindly covers her with his suit jacket. it's clear that the company has a real winner in its Lucia. This Lucia was so well conceived, coordinated and executed that I left the theater completely satisfied by what I saw and heard. Bravo, Opera Cleveland. You should franchise this production.<br /> ~ Daniel Hathaway, Cleveland Classical </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> State Theatre Donizetti’s famous setting of Sir Walter Scott’s 18th century Scottish romance The Bride of Lammermoor moved with surprising ease to Sicily of the 1930s in last week’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor by Opera Cleveland. Scottish Lairds or Sicilian dons – there’s apparently not much difference between them when it comes to family and supposed honor. And the original words were in Italian, anyway. Director Tomer Zvulun and conductor Dean Williamson combined to keep the production moving smoothly and inevitably toward the notoriously unhappy ending. The stage set by Erhard Rom also made an easy transition from stone castle to stone villa, ably assisted by the frequently sunny lighting by Robert Wierzel. Carol Bailey’s costumes for the men were pretty much dark suits, but the women were mostly garbed in floating, light colors. Except for the white satin wedding gown, of course.<br /> ~ Kelly Ferjutz, Cool Cleveland </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Mozart himself, in a dapper red coat and white powered wig, makes an appearance at the start of the Atlanta Opera's "The Magic Flute," one of many charming conceits in this convincing new production shared with Indiana University's professional-quality Jacobs School of Music. In Tomer Zvulun's stage direction, the singers react naturally to each other and communicate directly with the audience. The almost-capacity crowd Saturday night laughed merrily at the jokes and cheered mightily when the music turned athletic and epic It helps, too, that they had a good dragon. Puppets are in vogue in theater and opera these days, and this "Magic Flute," which premiered in Indiana in November, is wonderfully whimsical without being hollow -- a difficult balance. Pierre Ruhe is classical music critic <br /> ~ Pierre Ruhe, Atlanta Journal Constitution </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> David Higgins who conceived and designed the sets and costumes, provided an eye-catching environment that envelops the action for Mozart’s timeless entertainment. Even the composer makes an appearance amid the clever happenings that animate the Musical Arts Center stage. Panels open, slide, lift, and fold to shape seemingly effortless scene changes. Canopies and backdrops lower and rise. Gardens, grottos and assorted props glide in and out. And to help satisfy the fairy tale elements of the story, there’s a huge and squiggly dragon. There are birds that nibble and peck. There are full-sized, huggable animals. All, of course, are make-believe and brought to life by puppeteers Higgins’ imagination has made everything possible. His cohort in this endeavor is stage director Tomer Zvulun, a young Israeli visiting from the Metropolitan Opera and elsewhere who sought ways to imbue this Mozart classic with the right blend of fantasy, magic, majestic ceremony and mirth. The team has managed to do so, with excellent help from Marie Barrett’s evocative lighting.<br /> ~ Paul Jacobi, Herald Times </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Israeli director Tomer Zvulun created visual interest throughout the production and delivered a stunning stage picture for the initial scene. The opera opened with the entrance of Norwegian sailors struggling to bring their sizeable boat to shore as the tempest raged and thunderclaps resounded. Moments later, the Dutchman's breathtaking ship — easily four times the first vessel's size — glided on, with its blood-red sails swelling in the storm. For the double chorus in Act III, Zvulun brilliantly placed the Dutchman's crew of eighteen men on the lighting platform at house left. Walter Huff's extraordinary chorus provided chilling "stereo" sound as the Norwegian crew sang from the stage and looked out, horrified. The production created a spooky, cinematic atmosphere that prompted one to think of the opera as a sort of nineteenth-century Pirates of the Caribbean. The Dutchman and his spectral crew appeared truly ghoulish.<br /> ~ Stephanie Adrian, Opera News </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> This fresh, affecting production, symbolizes good things for Opera Cleveland. Tomer Zvulun's staging vividly conveys the work's amorous heat, playfulness and tragic desperation. The squalor of the artists' garret, excitement of the Café Momus scene and chill of the snow-bedecked third act all come vibrantly to life... With stage director Zvulun creating a vital sense of theater, the cast works beautifully as an ensemble as they share in the opera's joyous and poignant events. We really believe the seamstress Mimi and poet Rodolfo are in love… Act 2 is full of color and bustling activity, with the chorus in exhilarating form and the children spot-on in their rollicking duties. A splendid start... Operatic things in Cleveland are looking up.<br /> ~ Donald Rosenberg, The Plain Dealer </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> A magic spell was cast over the Tivoli Theatre on Thursday evening as Chattanooga Symphony & Opera presented “Hansel and Gretel”. Veteran stage director Tomer Zvulun provided a delightful and traditional approach to this beloved work with maestro Bernhardt guiding the Chattanooga symphony… Hansel and Gretel was one solid production with a uniformly strong cast of singers and actors.<br /> ~ Mel R. Wilhoit, Chattanooga times free press </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Delicious farce never sounded so good as in the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s musically and visually exquisite production of Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro”, courtesy of stage director Tomer Zvulun…The characters moved snappily from one situation to another as they deliver the bright and catchy Mozart melodies.<br /> ~ Nikky C. Hasden, Chattanooga times free press </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Zvulun deeply understands how to help singers bring forward character in their lines, and to move them to the beat of the music as they express emotional detail with their arms and hands.<br /> ~ <a target="_blank" href="http://berkshirefinearts.com/02-01-2012_news-from-the-metropolitan-opera.htm"> Susan Hall, Berkshire Fine Arts </a> </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> A powerful and attractive new production defined by moments of shimmery, cinematic fantasy mixed with genuine pathos that are pure Puccini all the way through.<br />In the hands of the fine cast and under the direction of the company’s new General and Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun, this is opera that’s easy to love.<br /> ~ <a target="_blank" href="https://sso.cmgdigital.com/static/server.html?origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myajc.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2Farts-theater%2Fprojections-complement-performers-in-atlanta-opera%2Fnh4x4%2F#__federated=1"> Andrew Alexander, Atlanta Journal Constitution </a> </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> <br /> ~ <a target="_blank" href="https://www.artsatl.org/review-madama-butterfly-is-an-elegant-start-to-the-atlanta-opera-season/"> , </a> </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> In this fourth staging of “Lucia” by Atlanta Opera, directed by Tomer Zvulun, the mad scene is especially gruesome. It is set up by an affecting bass solo from Arthur Woodley as Raimondo, the chaplain who explains to wedding guests that Lucia has murdered Arturo.<br /><br /> What follows is grisly. It’s surprisingly bloody. The white light cast upon the bridal suite is unabashed. Arturo’s exsanguinated corpse could be from “The Walking Dead.” But what’s chilling is Jarman’s bipolar performance, with scattered stumbling from stage left to right, tears one second, then Cheshire cat grin and cackling trills, the next. It’s a multidimensional depiction of Lucia's madness, a role that tends to rest on its sorrow.<br /><br /> Adding another effective dimension are the 3-D projections of the grounds, cemetery and rooms in Lammermoor castle designed by Ruppert Bohle. The screens add depth and texture to the sets, along with increased perspective of the stage. The projection that received audible gasps was of a ghost that appeared within a painting. The superb lighting work from Robert Wierzel helped support the story, using imposing shadows when Enrico demands Lucia’s compliance.<br /> ~ Jamila Robinson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution </blockquote> <blockquote class="callout_quote"> Lucia is the show that will clue you in. Here's what the fuss is about: Gorgeous voices, awesome sets, amazing music, and outrageous drama. Lucia pulls out all the stops and creates one of Atlanta's most glamorous, romantic, and exciting nights at the theater in ages.<br /><br /> Lucia di Lammermoor tells the Romeo and Juliet-like story of a young girl in Scotland who falls in love with a mystery man who turns out to be from a rival family. Her brother tricks her into marrying the rich groom he's picked out for her, and their wedding night ends up as, well, something of a bloody mess. Donizetti's famous bel canto score has a drive and beauty that keep the tension at a constant boil, and Erhard Rom's set designs for the Atlanta production have a wonderful cinematic flare with a suggestive and totally original hint of Southern Gothic.<br /> ~ Andrew Alexander, creative Loafing </blockquote> <h2 class="close">Presented by</h2> <p> <a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/productions/Das-Rheingold/Dallas-Opera-2023"> Dallas Opera (2023) </a> <br /> <a href="https://tomerzvulun.com/productions/Das-Rheingold/Atlanta-Opera-2023"> Atlanta Opera (2023) </a> <br /> </p> </div> </div> <h2 class="center">Gallery</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="column"> <a class="mobx" href="https://tomerzvulun.com/images/ADG 191119 CALCALIST294646.jpg" data-title="Tomer Zvulun" data-desc="Photo by Orel Cohen" data-rel="gallery2"> <img src="https://tomerzvulun.com/images/ADG 191119 CALCALIST294646.jpg"></a> <a class="mobx" href="https://tomerzvulun.com/images/ADG 191119 CALCALIST294644.jpg" 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