We haven't bought season tickets to the opera for quite a while, so it was nice to go back on Sunday afternoon, sitting in the same area where we had seats for many years. We're up at the top level, but there's great sound and a good sight line to the stage, with the sub-titles right at eye level.
The first opera of the season was Donizetti's comedy, The Daughter of the Regiment. No one goes to this opera for the preposterous plot, but to hear the bel canto arias, with lots of thrilling "High C's" in the tenor role. The soprano has even more stratospheric notes.
There were special touches added to the libretto, just for us. The audience roared with laughter during the wedding-party scene, when the arriving guests were introduced as nobility hailing from Medina, Puyallup, Hoquiam and Humptulips. Peter Kazaras, a tenor and director, appeared in drag as the snobby Duchesse de Krackenthorp. All entertaining and very Seattle. But it makes a person wonder why an enduring work of art needs so much "help" to be appreciated?
No comments:
Post a Comment