Did I ever mention that I have season tickets to the opera? To be honest I don't know much about opera except I love going to performances and getting caught up in the costumes and singing and general festivity of the event. There is always so much energy and passion. So I always try and educate myself a little before each performance. Last fall it was Rossini's The Barber of Seville based on the play by Pierre de Beaumarchais. The production was quite modern and great fun!
Next up is Puccini's La fanciulla del West based on the play by David Belasco, otherwise known as The Girl of the Golden West (it is one of the events tied in with a current art exhibit at our local museum). Fanciulla is Italian for "girl" (pronounced I have read: "fan-CHOO-lah"). Some interesting things about the opera I've just read:
"La fanciulla is a tale of redemption and unlikely love in Gold Rush California. Like [Madama] Butterfly, it is based on a play by David Belasco, who worked closely with Puccini on the original production. It is a curious opera with many unusual qualities that keep it on the fringes of the repertory: there is only one female lead role and only two females altogether in the cast. There is a large ensemble of male solo parts, sometimes individual and sometimes functioning as a chorus. And there is the orchestral texture, which is big, lush, and quite daring. It is a far cry from the world of Bohème. One critic after the premiere thought the score more appropriate for the San Francisco earthquake than fr a tale of inconsequential little people living outside of civilization."
I have a copy of William Berger's Puccini Without Excuses: A Refreshing Reassessment of the World's Most Popular Composer to help me along to learn more (above quote taken from the section on fanciulla). The opera premiered in New York in 1910 so it is relatively modern, and according to Berger--without Puccini "there is no opera". I'm looking forward to dipping into the book and finding out why. You may well hear more from me on the subject.
As if being able to just go to the opera isn't enough of a treat, since I am a season subscriber, Opera Omaha offers special little perks and one is coming up in just a couple of weeks. I am able to attend a backstage, behind-the-scenes event. I'll be going on a backstage tour of the theater, and will get to hear the director and designers talk about their processes of pulling off the production. One of the cast members will be transformed into their role in the opera through costume and makeup and to top it all off I can stay and listen to the first rehearsal with the orchestra though they won't be in costume. Needless to say I am ready for February to arrive for a variety of reasons, and this is one of the big ones.
I have read loads of novels set in the theater world (or, if not read them, own them or am familiar with them), but surely there must be some set in the opera world? It could be fun to follow that reading path . . .
How cool! I think I've only been to one opera live, and watched a couple on TV with my mom when I was a teenager. My clearest memory: They put up captions in English, and some of the things they sang were funny! You can see I need some polishing up of my cultural sensibilities.
We have an opera series at our performing arts center, but I've never gone. That might be something to put on my life list.
Posted by: Kathy | January 27, 2016 at 07:27 AM
I've been meaning to go to one of the Metropolitan Opera's simulcast shows at a local theatre, but, so far, I haven't made it. There is no reason for me not to love opera, I love music, I love drama, I love the costumes. Maybe this will be the year I go.
Posted by: Joan Kyler | January 27, 2016 at 07:47 AM
How wonderful, I would love to see one of Puccini's operas . I play his music on the piano all the time, love the music from La Boheme.
Posted by: Janet | January 27, 2016 at 08:28 AM
What a lovely thing to have to look forward to -colour and music to cheer up a grey month! I hope you have a wonderful time and look forward to reading about it in due course!
Posted by: LizF | January 27, 2016 at 09:15 AM
The back stage event will be so cool! You have to be sure to share what happens. Hopefully they will also let you take pictures :)
Posted by: Stefanie | January 27, 2016 at 11:31 AM
I've been to a number of them now. I didn't have season tickets last year, but I did attend one or two. Now I think I will have to subscribe every year. I love these cultural things. And they do the caption thing at the theater, too! It's all pretty dramatic, isn't it?! And I think you need to go to at least one opera in the next year!
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2016 at 09:17 PM
If we lived close, we could go together--it would be great fun to have company!
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2016 at 09:18 PM
I wonder how long those have been going on--for years probably, but I just noticed that a few (maybe all?) local movie theaters do that Opera Live from the Met. I think this weekend is Puccini's Turandot. I can't go to it, but I have decided I need to go to at least one and see what it's all about. As long as I read up before hand (and the last opera they had a pre-performance lecture that was really helpful) I don't feel too lost. It is just fun being in the environment--even if they are singing in another language. It is a pleasure for the senses!
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2016 at 09:21 PM
I pulled the music for this opera from my library--a two volume CD set that is waiting for me on my desk tomorrow. I am sure I have heard Puccini's music, but I don't think I could pick it out. Now I thin I will have to go and look for a youtube video or something and see if I recognize it. It really is something to see/hear it live!
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2016 at 09:22 PM
January is my least favorite month! Break is over and all there is to look forward to is a long, cold, grey and dreary month. And it has been an especially snowy one here (just as the last of the snow has melted from the sidewalks, we are now forecast to get up to 10"/25cm of snow on Tuesday and into Wednesday. Ugh. It is literally going to take until Spring to all melt. So, yes, such a happy and festive event is most welcome. It's sort of exciting to go to these and see different people and hear such beautiful music. I also am a subscriber for the Broadway shows and there is one coming up in February (Newsies). It really does help having something special to look forward to.
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2016 at 09:26 PM
At first I debated going as I am not always so brave to go to these things alone,but then I thought the heck with it--I can watch and be a wallflower. I think they are having finger foods, but I can stand with a drink for a short while--the main event is the tour and the behind the scenes stuff and then I look forward to seeing them practice. Maybe if I really like it I can think of volunteering with Opera Omaha at some point, too. I think I might have to tuck my camera into my bag--just in case. If I do get to take photos, I will be sure and post them here!
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2016 at 09:29 PM
I would love that! It's almost always more fun with a friend.
Posted by: Kathy | January 28, 2016 at 07:39 AM
If you go with someone who also appreciates opera, it would be great fun. I dont mind so much going alone as weird as it sounds--I can just watch and listen and enjoy.
To: literarycat@hotmail.com
Posted by: Danielle | January 28, 2016 at 09:26 AM
I've only been to the opera a few times but it was so fun. Not just the wonderful music and costumes but I also enjoyed people watching during intermission. I love cultural events and miss going to them. I feel like Austin doesn't have nearly as wonderful ones as Dallas does but maybe I need to just explore more. And, how cool about the backstage invitation. That should be very interesting!
Posted by: iliana | January 28, 2016 at 03:01 PM
I love people watching too! I only wish the seats were not so close together--there is never any leg room and now with the cold, it is hard to have a bulky coat, but otherwise I love going to the theater. I am not sure how much I would understand of opera had I not tried to 'prep' when I go, so at least I have an idea of what's going on. I was not going to do season tickets at first--just buy one ticket to an opera for a little splurge but in the end I couldn't pass up a good deal on tickets, and now I am so glad I did. I would have thought Austin would have lots of cultural events but of course Dallas is huge, so maybe not so surprising after all.
Posted by: Danielle | January 29, 2016 at 11:19 PM