A Night at the Opera

We were able to attend the opera in part because HR was able to secure us half price tickets. I have been wanting to see performances but have been a bit put off by ticket prices, upwards of a hundred bucks (a little ridiculous if you ask me).

So, I was really happy when HR was able to offer this for employees. Even happier in that I had seen a really good review of the current performance in the UT just the day before the offer came out. We saw two operas, many time performed together as they are short (by opera standards). The first was Cavalleria Rusticana and the second Pagliacci. The two are commonly called Cav/Pag in their twin bill.

The first, Cav, was a bit slow. OK, moved like molasses. Maybe by operatic standards it was nicely paced, but while the performances were good, good god!, move it along a little! The tenors of both performances were touted as high caliber. And in Cav, Richard Leech was good. However, there were no outstanding arias in the performance, and again it dragged, despite the leading lady who was great.

So I was really looking forward to the second one, where the tenor was really highly praised. And Pagliacci was much better than Cav. With more action and more drama, Jose Cura really had a fantastic opportunity to shine. And he did. His aria, at the end of the first act was touching and beautiful. The sad clown laments that to the public he must put on a happy face, but he is a man, just as anyone else, suffering and prone to heartache. And don't we all feel that way sometimes? That we put on a happy face, and that no one seems to empathise with the pain we have inside of us.

These two operas are considered verismo, that is rustic operas concerned with the fates of everyday people. As opposed to grand opera, like Aida.

How did I like my first opera? I am still debating that question frankly. It is hard for me not to enjoy any live performance. And I did like Pag a lot. If I had only seen Cavalleria I may have been put off on opera. So I can say I enjoyed the experience greatly. I enjoyed the operas somewhat.

Would I go again? Yes! Emphatically yes. I would love to see a grand opera, like Carmen, that I would know some more of the music of, and has more known arias. I am glad we were able to go, that is for certain.

One thing I will say, I wish San Diego had a better opera house than the Civic Theater. It does not lend itself to opera very well.

A new experience...a new sensation...a fun night. A successful night at the opera all in all.