Couple of weeks ago, my in-laws who run European Opera Tours, took me to see an opera. Basically there were two operas, which are normally performed together because they are short, CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA and I PAGLIACCI. I was very excited about my first opera. It was a wonderful introduction to our family business (European Opera Tours). We reached the theatre in Tampa, where I was impressed to see lots of young people among the spectators. Everyone was nicely dressed.
We
had very good seats. That’s what you get when you go with specialists. The theatre
was almost full with perfect ambiance. There was a big red curtain hanging over
the stage, and I was eager to see behind the curtain. The curtain was removed slowly,
with music paying in the foreground. I said to myself “wow” when I saw an attractive,
elegant, three dimensional stage, lit up perfectly. Above the stage there was a
screen. Subtitles were displayed in English, which was really good for a first
time opera viewer, like me.
First
they performed CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA. I have never experienced anything like
that in my life before. It was full of music, acting and drama. Performers expressed
their emotions through their singing. It was a kaleidoscope of colors displayed
on the stage. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the music articulating the
humorous and tragic emotions by singers with beautiful voices. It was a feast
for my eyes, ears and my heart.
Since
Mozart, hundreds of Western operas have been written by composers from Adolf
Adam to Bern Zimmermann, including Philip Glass, who wrote SATYAGRAHA (shown
above) based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Opera performances include efforts
by many talented and trained artists including the conductor, musicians, singers,
producers, costume designers, stage designers, lighting designers and even the prompter.
The prompter faces the singers, hidden in a box on the stage, just below and
behind the orchestra.
I can’t wait to join my in-laws this summer on
one of their Opera Tours.