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In response to
"motherf*ckers."
by
znufrii
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Not the same Met, but I owe you a theatre report
Posted by
Alan More (aka RogerMore)
Mar 9 '09, 08:14
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Saturday, 1 pm, Madame Butterfly. If you go, get there about 45 inutes early because most of the audience is made of old people with nothing better to do. Movie theatres without assigned seating are frustrating (movie theatres with assigned seating are also frustrating, but that's another story)
Overall, I had a good experience. It was the first full opera I've seen, so my comparisons might not be very good.
The main feature is that you'll get close ups of the performers on stage, which I enjoyed because it allows you to appreciate their acting (which is very good), but has a downside - I expect being there live helps maintain the illusion that the 40-year old Italian-American opera singer is actually a 15 year old Japanese girl.
The sets were pretty minimal - mostly just screen doors and background lighting, which worked well in a movie theatre. I'm not sure how a grandiose production with elephants etc would look on a big screen.
At the beginning and end of the intermissions, they also have some interviews with the performers - often right when they are coming off-stage - and other creative people involved in the production, puppeteers, costume designers, producers, etc.
I don't know how well it actually compares to being there - and while there is a detachment from not being in the same room as the performance, there were quite a few people blubbing at the end of it, so I think it depends more on who you are and how much you appreciate opera.
Anyway, I definitely recommend going to see for yourself - I expect it will be a different experience from seeing the Met up close, but I think you'd still enjoy it.
For me, I liked it enough, but I doubt that opera is my thing. I'm happy to go see something like this once or twice a year, and maybe *maybe* go to a hideously expensive live performance, but I wouldn't have much interest if my SO wasn't into it.
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