# Quite a while since an Opera discussion...



## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

I just attended the Atlanta Opera's performance of Carmen. The mezzo-soprano in the title role, Varduhi Abrahamyan, is Armenian but speaks fluent French. She had the right blend of beauty, guile, and voice to do the role justice.

It exceeded their usual high standards - the two choruses, the costumes, the sets, absolutely wonderful experience.

The one thing that surprised me was the length of the performance. It's four acts, with a long intermission after Act I and a short one after Act II. This second intermission started at 10:00pm, which mean that many of the older patrons in the "rattle your jewelry" seats in the front decided that they couldn't stay up much longer. Finally ended at 11:30pm.

I'll be interested in the opinion of the forum of "legitimate" opera companies doing Broadway shows. The next performance in this year's season is "Sweeney Todd," and next season they're doing "West Side Story" to honor Leonard Bernstein. Not the best of all possible works for an opera company to do, but the Alliance Theater is doing "Candide" in a couple weeks so I guess they had to choose something else.


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## Mr. B. Scott Robinson (Jan 16, 2017)

The first opera I ever saw was at the Weiner Staatsoper during the summer of 1987. The second was at the Volksoper the same year. Over the course of that summer, I went to dozens of performances held at these and other Viennese venues. Orchestral performances at the Palais Esterhazy were particularly memorable.

Since that time I have visited the Bastille, Berlin State and the Met on several occasions to see Opera. I have introduced my children to performances at these venues as well. I haven't made it to La Fenice. It is good to have something remaining on the bucket list.

Not to trash the performance in Atlanta, but sadly, I can't abide regional opera. I am ruined on it. One particularly horrible Barber of Seville at the Gothenburg Opera sealed it for me. Beautiful building, the staging and performance, not so much. It makes me sad that I can't abide opera at the Fox in Atlanta, one of my favorite buildings on the planet, but that is my miserable story. And I simply can't tolerate the ubiquitous standing ovation at the conclusion of EVERY mediocre (or worse) performance. When did this become a thing? My standards are hopelessly skewed and I am sure I miss some hidden gems. And I can certainly acknowledge that not all performances at the top venues are worth seeing.

But I am more forgiving in regard to regional orchestra. Robert Shaw's Atlanta Symphony was, in my view, world class.

But it is wonderful that you went to the Opera and enjoyed it very much. I fear that high art will go the way of the dodo with arts education being limited to the top 5% of population and viewed as stuffy and irrelevant to the remaining 95%. Snobs like me don't help the situation. I need to do better. 

Cheers,

BSR


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

I don't like opera. In general, the plots are absurd and the lyrics childish. Though the music is gorgeous, all in all I consider it a vast waste of wonderfully trained voices. I admire the singers but not what they sing. Give me cantate, oratorios or lieder, thank you very much.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Mr. B. Scott Robinson said:


> The first opera I ever saw was at the Weiner Staatsoper during the summer of 1987. The second was at the Volksoper the same year. Over the course of that summer, I went to dozens of performances held at these and other Viennese venues. Orchestral performances at the Palais Esterhazy were particularly memorable.
> 
> Since that time I have visited the Bastille, Berlin State and the Met on several occasions to see Opera. I have introduced my children to performances at these venues as well. I haven't made it to La Fenice. It is good to have something remaining on the bucket list.
> 
> ...


Vis a vis regional opera - I once witnessed a lady f*ck up the Queen of the Night's 2nd aria (_Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen) _during the highlight of the piece, the vertiginous clamber to the shattering F6. Whoops! I stick to Opera North productions latterly.

As to standing ovations, people who do not know better will applaud any old codswallop - I clap only if I have been impressed not because it is a curtain call.

This said I have been fortunate enough to participate in thunderous and thoroughly deserved standing ovations - a thrilling, inspiring, performance of Das Rheingold (including, where required, an extensive anvil orchestra - in case anyone was wondering) being one notable example. Having cut my teeth on the 1966/67 Bayreuth recording of 'Der Ring...' that I was able to be so deeply taken by an alternate version is testament to the majesty of that particular performance.

@Oldsarge, whilst I broadly accept your point, still, not all libretti are childish drivel. I am reading Galina's magnificent lyric for Rachmanninov's op. 21 no. 7 as I type and my breast stirs with an exquisitely ecstatic melancholy.

"Zdes' tol'ko Bog da ya......"

*snivel* excuse me I seem to have something caught in my eye.


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## Mr. B. Scott Robinson (Jan 16, 2017)

This is a critically important discussion and thanks to Miket61 for kick starting it again. 

Great music and art can be transformative, evoking an almost epiphinal reaction in the head and heart. For those who haven't experienced this feeling for the first time, I have both sympathy and envy. 

One particularly memorable experience....Saturday, June 30, 2007. I was at Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center on the closing night of Kevin McKenzie's NYC Ballet's production of Swan Lake. 

The production had received mixed reviews in the press, but I didn't follow ballet, so I was going in rather blind. 

The build up to the evening began with a champagne luncheon outdoors at what was in 2007, a failing gastronomic tourist spot, the famous Tavern on the Green in Central Park. I was accompanied by a lovely Swedish doctoral colleague and a handful of select graduate students from my class. The sunshine was warm, the wine was cold and our company was in great form. 

Since this is AAAC....I went full Prince Charlie kilt rig (Dunbar Tartan) to the ballet that night. Seats? Dress Circle Box 30, stage left, looking straight down on the performers. 

As for the production, the energy of closing night filled the space with an electrical charge. The crowd and the performers pushed each other to extremes that I had never before witnessed in a live performance outside of a small blues club in the Mississippi Delta. It was practically a frenzy by the final curtain call. Flowers and ticket stubs were raining down from everywhere. 

By the time the tumult died away, I was uncontrollably weeping and had to remain in my seat for several minutes to compose myself enough to walk out on a night that I never wanted to end. 

Cheers, 

BSR


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Fortunately, the Atlanta Opera hasn’t been at the Fox for years. The Cobb Energy Center is half the size, which not only helps the acoustics but also makes the attendance numbers look better (I think Carmen is going to sell out all four performances).

There are some Atlanta-based singers, but it’s far from being a repertory company. We get talented performers from around the world, who have performed at The Met, La Scala, and elsewhere.

(This is related to the reason why “Jersey Boys” was the only Broadway show I was willing to see the touring company of - at least two of the four main characters had performed the role on Broadway. They rotate their top talent.)

There was some snobbery when they did Pirates of Penzance a couple years ago. West Side Story seems to be far more fodder for the crowd who cries “sellout,” but it does show off the connection the Opera has with the Atlanta Ballet, who will be providing Jets and Sharks and lots of finger snapping.

The other shows this season were “Flying Dutchman” and “La Fille du Regiment.”


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## Mr. B. Scott Robinson (Jan 16, 2017)

Miket61 said:


> Fortunately, the Atlanta Opera hasn't been at the Fox for years. The Cobb Energy Center is half the size, which not only helps the acoustics but also makes the attendance numbers look better (I think Carmen is going to sell out all four performances).
> 
> There are some Atlanta-based singers, but it's far from being a repertory company. We get talented performers from around the world, who have performed at The Met, La Scala, and elsewhere.
> 
> ...


Yes, the acoustics in the Fox are as poor as the building is beautiful.

Is all Atlanta entertainment moving to Cobb County? I will attend my first Braves game in the new stadium when I am on leave this summer.

Cheers,

BSR


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Football and American Football are both in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is apparently quite nice. The Fox still gets the Broadway productions with artificial sound enhancement that fills the space. The Symphony and the Alliance Theater are still where they’ve always been - Bernie Marcus’ $100M donation seems to be going unspent.


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