Monday, December 19, 2005
The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, NYC
On Monday night, December 12th, I went to The Met to see the debut of a new opera, An American Tragedy. This is an American opera, sung in English, based on the novel by Theodore Dreiser. This story was made into a movie in the 1960s I think, A Place in the Sun, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.
Lincoln Center at Christmas is lit up like a fairy castle. White lights on all the bare branches of the trees and the beautiful fountain in the courtyard all give a feeling of holiday magic. The Met is all maroon velvet and gold; just a feeling of elegance and majesty. The fact that the back of the seat in front of you gives you all the words with a touch of a button just adds to the magic.
The opera itself was a bit of a disappointment. For all the drama and angst in the story, it didn't translate into any real heart-wrenching arias. All three leads had opportunities for a show-stopping aria but it never materialized. The best song was sung by a secondary character, Clyde's mother Elvira. She got the best ovation of the night so I guess the audience agreed with her.
In spite of the disappointment in the opera itself, my visit to The Met was memorable and a real joy. This kind of entertainment is so wonderful that I am amazed that it has gone out of style. So much drama, pageantry, and angst go into an opera. The daily soaps are just cartoons compared to it. Ah, pop culture, you are such a desert wasteland.
Lincoln Center at Christmas is lit up like a fairy castle. White lights on all the bare branches of the trees and the beautiful fountain in the courtyard all give a feeling of holiday magic. The Met is all maroon velvet and gold; just a feeling of elegance and majesty. The fact that the back of the seat in front of you gives you all the words with a touch of a button just adds to the magic.
The opera itself was a bit of a disappointment. For all the drama and angst in the story, it didn't translate into any real heart-wrenching arias. All three leads had opportunities for a show-stopping aria but it never materialized. The best song was sung by a secondary character, Clyde's mother Elvira. She got the best ovation of the night so I guess the audience agreed with her.
In spite of the disappointment in the opera itself, my visit to The Met was memorable and a real joy. This kind of entertainment is so wonderful that I am amazed that it has gone out of style. So much drama, pageantry, and angst go into an opera. The daily soaps are just cartoons compared to it. Ah, pop culture, you are such a desert wasteland.
Countess Bedelia 12/19/2005 11:49:00 PM