AIDA
Verdi
October 24, 2009
Met HD
Cinemark, Palo Alto, CA
Trivia Question: The earliest performance of The Magic Flute listed in the Met’s Archives section was in 1900. What language was it sung in? Continue reading
I’m being very spotty writing about the European HD performances. When I write in timely fashion about a Met HD Live Performance, some of you have told me that I have actually influenced your decision as to whether or not to go to the Encore presentation a week and a half later. Continue reading
One of the many great things about the Met HD performances is that of the 10 operas that I have seen or will see this season, 6 of them I have seen for the first time. For the first five, I knew or read something about them ahead of time, but I purposely did not do this for La Sonnambula. When the curtain went up for Act I yesterday, all I knew was from the trailer shown at previous Met HDs: it was by Bellini, it starred Natalie Dessay, and she walked in her sleep. I didn’t even know if the ending would be tragic or happy. Continue reading
On our way out of the Theater at half past one Saturday March 7, 2009, I asked Sara a rhetorical question, “Would you like to have lived back then?” Continue reading
Teatro Comunale, Bologna
January 25 2009
Exciting news (news to me, that is; you may already know about it). The Met is not the only outfit creating and recording HD performances and showing them in selected theatres. It is also being done from Europe. And Sunday I capped off my opera binge by seeing Bellini’s Norma performance from Teatro Comunale, Continue reading
“Opera” is certainly an inclusive term, and the MetHD series this year certainly covers a gamut. From Dr. Atomic, composed in this century back to Gluck’s 1762 opera Orfeo ed Euridice, the oldest opera for which the original score is still available.
An opera by Puccini performed by the Met. Need I say more?
No, but I will anyhow (surprise, surprise). OK, it’s not Bohème, Butterfly, or Tosca. But in my opinion it ranks right up there with Turandot, Trittico, Girl of the Golden West, or Manon Lescaut. Which is to say that I enjoyed it Continue reading
December 20, 2008
All I can honestly say about seeing Thais yesterday is that 9:00 AM is definitely too early in the day to appreciate an opera. Since that information doesn’t really seem to warrant sending an email, I’ll put this aside until after I see the Encore performance at 7:00 PM on January 7.
January 8, 2009
I saw it and it was excellent. Continue reading
I was disappointed in attending Berlioz’ opera this morning, and I’m looking forward to seeing it again at the Encore performance on Wednesday, Dec 3.
That’s not an oxymoron. Continue reading
