A (Kilt) Night at the Opera

**McMurdo** · 22nd October 07, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

I hate to be a spoiler here but I've BEEN to the opera. Oh, my lord but give it a pass. Pick anything else. Go to the theater or even a happy hour but don't go to the opera. Horrid! :crap::crap::crap:

oop:

Jamie
Please go regardless of opinions such as the one above, if you enjoy it so much the better. Perhaps it will stir things in you that would otherwise lay domant, I certainly hope so. If you do not enjoy it then fine you never have to go again. However you should go see it for yourself.

**hallmarktex** · 22nd October 07, 10:19 AM

I have season tickets to the Dallas Opera which, interestingly, is also opening it's season with MacBeth in November. As a season subscriber we get invited to various special functions for the opera. The chorus master will frequently show up in his kilt for these occasions. There is also a young man who has tickets the same night as ours who always comes dressed in his kilt and PC.

I just got my first kilt this year and am still putting together everything I need to attend the opera in formal kilted attire.

All music is an acquired taste. If you're in to it, or even just willing to learn, opera can be a great time.

**McFarkus** · 22nd October 07, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Sheep In Wolf's Clothing

I say go and experience at least one opera in your lifetime.

My first opera (quite a number of years ago) was Verdi's 'Rigoletto' with Pavarotti singing the Duke. It's all been downhill since then.

**hallmarktex** · 22nd October 07, 10:54 AM

Yeah, that Pavarotti character is a tough act to follow!

**way2fractious** · 22nd October 07, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

I have never had the pleasure of seeing an Opera in person...

Would any of our Nor Cal Rabble be interested?

Ummm... I'm a total opera newbie - never watched or heard one in its entirety, in any venue or on any medium. But there has to be a first time for just about everything.

Pick a date now? or wait until Friday at Belmont?

w2f

**Panache** · 23rd October 07, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by way2fractious

...Pick a date now? or wait until Friday at Belmont?

w2f

The F-H.C.A.G. and I were eying December 2nd, the afternoon performance.

Cheers

Jamie

**Alan H** · 23rd October 07, 06:31 PM

I've been to the San Francisco Opera 5-6 times, and played about nine trillion shows of Puccini's "La Boheme" in our local semi-professional company.

Go.

Seeing Opera on stage is totally and entirely different from seeing it on TV or video. I generally speaking am not terribly fond of soprano's in recital. I mean, I've been to a fair number of them, and unless the soprano is a personal friend, most of the time...uh.... I'm eyeing the door. A little bit of soprano and a little bit of tenor go a long way with me, and you know I'm a classical music buff.

But GOING TO the opera is a whole different experience. Go. The War Memorial Opera house is imposing and impressive and smaller than you will expect. The food and coffee is outrageous and not very good. It's much smaller than Davies Symphony Hall, and it's somewhere between Art Deco and Rococco. GO. If you can get first tier seats, get them. If you can get Dress Circle, get them.

If you decide that Opera is a passion, then you will drop a small fortune if you get season tickets like those. Ouch. However, for a one-shot deal....spend the money.

Verdi's MacBeth is a good show. You can't get more mainstream than Verdi. If you're going to see an opera, and it's not gonna be La Boheme, well then more or less anything by Verdi is about as risk-free as it's gonna get.

......as opposed to "Lulu" by Alban Berg that we saw, I think in 2005. Oh. My. God......that was horrendous. Twisted, sick, disturbing...horrible.

But La Boheme, Cavalliera Rusticana, and the other shows we've seen were great. Wellllwe DID see one other opera up there a few years ago that was kind of boring, but it wasn't a horror. fortunately the tickets were freebies.

Go.

**Archangel** · 23rd October 07, 06:36 PM

Saw a dvd of some stage production opera that was subtitled and it was pretty cool. It made sense with subtitles but, oh geez, they take forever to die. And with that much breath, it loses credibility.

Bugs Bunny ruined/enhanced opera for me.

Get an English script and rock out.

**Sheep In Wolf's Clothing** · 24th October 07, 05:56 AM

Oddly enough I was checking my e-mail this morning at work (yes after reading this site) and there was a review of Verdi's MacBeth. It seems it is playing at the Met. The review can be read here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/ar...th&oref=slogin

I don't know if you have to be a subsciber or not to read the article.
Sara
(Who now has to get back to work before the boss gets in!!)

**Galician** · 24th October 07, 07:33 AM

Thanks for the link, Sara!

Now *I* am thinking of seeing the work. Of course I'd go kilted, but a PC is something I'd never wear to the opera...or anywhere else, for that matter.

I haven't been to the opera in many years. This piece sounds like a nice excuse to experience it again.