Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Another Opera night!

Since our visitor had wanted to see a couple operas during her visit, the second opera on the list was Mozart’s The Magic Flute.    We already knew well ahead of time that there was no hope in hell that Travelling Companion would ever be able to make it,  so I figured I’d go along.

I’m not going to give too much of a review here, except to say it was goofy.  Don’t misunderstand,  Mozart was a genius and wrote some fabulous music,  and the singing was pretty damned awesome.  The thing is,  I think maybe the set designer/producer/whoever confused the title of the show with “Magic Mushrooms”? 

That’s a stretch I realise,  but I’m just trying to figure out what the hell they were doing.  I always thought the whole story mostly took place in a forest setting,  and we didn’t see any hint of that.

 

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So,  does the stage look crooked?

Well yes,   yes it is.

Does it look like a forest?

No.  No it doesn’t.

 

The story is supposed to be a “fantasy”,  and they sure had that part figured out.

 

And while I realise that if you know what to look for, there are supposedly some references to the fact that Mozart was a Mason, but all I could figure out was that the set designer was hung up on either Salvador Dali (who was also a bit of a whack-job) or Cubism

I don’t know. 

I’m still trying to come up with something here!

 

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See?

 

In typical Mozart form,  it took about three hours to get the point across which,  if it were any other composer could have probably been done in half the time.   Like I said though,  the music and singing was fabulous.   I actually had no trouble staying awake,  which is more than I can say for the poor bastard in front of me,  whose wife somehow though it prudent to reach over across in front of her friend to jab him in the ribs every time he started to nod off.  Maybe she figured if he started snoring he’d drown out the music?  I don’t know, but it wouldn’t have bothered me if he fell asleep,  since that would have been one less head in my way.

(these are now just random cast pictures and such)

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It was like being inside a huge Rubik's cube….after having ingested some Magic Mushrooms.  

Oh wait,  I think I might be onto something.  Could that be it?  We’ll never really know.

 

This was taken before the curtain went up.

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I look kind of glum.  I’ve never been known for my clairvoyance,  but maybe I already have my suspicions?

 

I’m pretty sure this was a “Once in a lifetime”,  as I never really had that much of a burning desire to see this particular opera ever before in my life anyway,  and unless someone has free tickets to some venue like the Met,  the chances of me ever seeing it again are pretty slim.

 

******

 

So,  you’ll notice that there was a big void where yesterday’s little blurb should have been?  Turns out I really didn’t have too danged much to say,  and so I didn’t.

This is also the reason why I’ll be telling the rest of the little story tomorrow.   You’ll find out what happened on ‘the way to the Opera’. 

Well,  we were in the actual building already,  but you know what I mean.

 

It was one of those “moments”.  Trust me.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

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3 comments:

  1. I think I would have had a headache looking at that stage all night. Not being an opera kind of gal, I don't know the story of the Magic Flute but I really wonder what Mozart would think of their interpretation. And what is with leaving us hanging until "tomorrow" for the rest of the story.

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  2. When it comes to operas, I think Kevin would have been that guy in front of you nodding off. Just not his thing, not sure it would be mine either, but I would go (from your description, not to this one!) just to see what they are all about.

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  3. I cannot help you with any of your questions. I know one thing...I won't be seeing that opera!

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Well, I've been getting too many spam comments showing up. Just a drag, so we'll go another route and hope that helps. So, we won't be hearing anything more from Mr. Nony Moose.
I guess I'll just have to do without that Gucci purse.