[Magdalen] It Trittico Opera Stuff.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/8/2015 9:13:21 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
jay.weigel at gmail.com writes:

That  said, I figured out later on that I *do* like some individual arias. O
Mio  Babbino Caro is one. Un Bel Di from Madama Butterfly is another, and  
of
course there's Nessun Dorma. But do not ever ask me to listen to an  entire
opera, or attend one. I've applied my parents' "3 times" rule, and I  still
don't like  it.>>>>>>>>>>>
 
I took a friend, a musician of sorts, no less, to a Met performance
of Puccini's "Tosca" some years ago.  This is one of the  productions
designed by Franco Zeffirelli whose motto might well be "more is  more."
 
The second act of Tosca takes place in a church, in this case a 
faithful rendering of the interior of San Andrea al Quirinale, one of  the
most lavish churches in Rome.  The opera principals are singing in  a
chapel to the stage left, and on the stage right there emerges a 
religious procession led by a bishop holding a monstrance with the
Blessed Sacrament.  The Met Chorus sings the appropriate texts
for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  This is one of the  most
completely dazzling moments in all opera.
 
I asked my friend his impressions at the intermission.  He allowed  that
the music was grand, but the staging was "distracting."
 
You can't win them all.
 
 
 
 
David Strang.