"We all wear a cloak that sometimes hides joy . . ."
. . . [and] sometimes hides sorrow."* That's how I felt about last night's opera performance because it marked the end of my 2006-2007 opera season. Sorrowful. And yet, it ended on a high note with the Met's new production of Il Trittico, Puccini's opera of three one-acts: Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicci. Joyful.
Il Tabarro is a dark and violent opera. So how the person sitting next to me managed to find something to laugh at I'm not entirely sure, but then again she laughed at everything. I didn't particularly care for the music in this one, so it's just as well it was only one-act. It's saving grace (for me) was the incredible set. The opera takes place on a barge, so they created the River Seine complete with warehouses lining the river on one side, a barge and port on the other, and a functional bridge that spanned the top of the stage. Off in the distance was a skyline of Paris. It was breathtaking.
Suor Angelica by contrast was reverent and beautiful. Graceful and elegant. Since it takes place in a convent, the set (in comparison) wasn't anything to write home about. It was pretty, it fit the tone of the opera, and they did bring in the cutest little donkey to spice things up; but, it was the music that really shined here. The soprano's "Senza mamma" sent chills down my spine.
Gianni Schicci had everything the other two didn't have. It was comical and fun. It had lovely music, featuring my favorite "O mio babbino caro." And when the opera called for a scene change between the bedroom of a rich Florentine to the balcony of his home, the Met worked its special magic where the entire bedroom descended into the stage and revealed the most amazing courtyard replete with marble busts lining the balcony, painted mazed hedges and water fountain and Florence off into the distance. So pretty!
Anyhow, the Met's season ends mid-May so this was it for me. *whimpers* It truly has been a wonderful opera season though and I've greatly enjoyed myself. I only wish I could loan you all my eyes so you could see for yourself what awesome stuff this has been. In the meantime, you may all cheer the end of my opera posts . . . At least until next year. ;)
* From Il Tabarro
Il Tabarro is a dark and violent opera. So how the person sitting next to me managed to find something to laugh at I'm not entirely sure, but then again she laughed at everything. I didn't particularly care for the music in this one, so it's just as well it was only one-act. It's saving grace (for me) was the incredible set. The opera takes place on a barge, so they created the River Seine complete with warehouses lining the river on one side, a barge and port on the other, and a functional bridge that spanned the top of the stage. Off in the distance was a skyline of Paris. It was breathtaking.
Suor Angelica by contrast was reverent and beautiful. Graceful and elegant. Since it takes place in a convent, the set (in comparison) wasn't anything to write home about. It was pretty, it fit the tone of the opera, and they did bring in the cutest little donkey to spice things up; but, it was the music that really shined here. The soprano's "Senza mamma" sent chills down my spine.
Gianni Schicci had everything the other two didn't have. It was comical and fun. It had lovely music, featuring my favorite "O mio babbino caro." And when the opera called for a scene change between the bedroom of a rich Florentine to the balcony of his home, the Met worked its special magic where the entire bedroom descended into the stage and revealed the most amazing courtyard replete with marble busts lining the balcony, painted mazed hedges and water fountain and Florence off into the distance. So pretty!
Anyhow, the Met's season ends mid-May so this was it for me. *whimpers* It truly has been a wonderful opera season though and I've greatly enjoyed myself. I only wish I could loan you all my eyes so you could see for yourself what awesome stuff this has been. In the meantime, you may all cheer the end of my opera posts . . . At least until next year. ;)
* From Il Tabarro