A while back, I expressed an interest to the Good Doctor in someday seeing an opera. He tucked that away in a corner of his mind and then surprised me on Valentine's Day with the promise of an outing to the Metropolitan Opera. Due to my ridiculous schedule and our shared interest in seeing one of the classics, we didn't actually go until last night.
After some parking adventures in Newark, we finally got into the city, where we enjoyed some wonderful soul food at Jezebel’s. From there, it was on to Lincoln Center, where the "Nozze di Figaro" ("The Marriage of Figaro") was being performed at the Met.
Given my proclivity for dozing off in theaters of any kind, there was a good deal of concern that I would not make it through the entire show without dozing off. Upon arriving in the opera house and learning the performance would run three hours and 45 minutes, I realized the likelihood of napping was high. Things started well - I made it through the overture, which was extremely familiar and which I later realized served as the opening music in "Trading Places" - and then settled in to enjoy the show.
But shortly into the first act, the head bobs started. I'm not sure why, but I was having trouble going between reading the subtitles and watching the action onstage. There were also a lot of characters and, to be honest, I think I was just having trouble keeping up. And, of course, it was dark, which is usually the kiss of death. But at no point did the Good Doctor have to elbow me in the ribs.
And after that, it was smooth sailing until midway through the fourth act, when the head bobs returned briefly. But I rallied and made it to the end without major incident, unlike the folks next to me, one of whom was snoring.
Despite the head bobs, I rather enjoyed the opera. The performances were outstanding, and the Met is an amazing venue. Here’s the NY Times review of the show.
To completely switch musical gears, BAM and I are going to Asbury Park tonight to watch Springsteen’s first rehearsal for his upcoming tour. I have only seen Bruce in Asbury once, at a holiday fundraiser show back in December of 2001. Convention Hall is an old-school venue and I’m fired up for this evening. I don't think there will be any napping, but you never know.
After some parking adventures in Newark, we finally got into the city, where we enjoyed some wonderful soul food at Jezebel’s. From there, it was on to Lincoln Center, where the "Nozze di Figaro" ("The Marriage of Figaro") was being performed at the Met.
Given my proclivity for dozing off in theaters of any kind, there was a good deal of concern that I would not make it through the entire show without dozing off. Upon arriving in the opera house and learning the performance would run three hours and 45 minutes, I realized the likelihood of napping was high. Things started well - I made it through the overture, which was extremely familiar and which I later realized served as the opening music in "Trading Places" - and then settled in to enjoy the show.But shortly into the first act, the head bobs started. I'm not sure why, but I was having trouble going between reading the subtitles and watching the action onstage. There were also a lot of characters and, to be honest, I think I was just having trouble keeping up. And, of course, it was dark, which is usually the kiss of death. But at no point did the Good Doctor have to elbow me in the ribs.
And after that, it was smooth sailing until midway through the fourth act, when the head bobs returned briefly. But I rallied and made it to the end without major incident, unlike the folks next to me, one of whom was snoring.
Despite the head bobs, I rather enjoyed the opera. The performances were outstanding, and the Met is an amazing venue. Here’s the NY Times review of the show.
To completely switch musical gears, BAM and I are going to Asbury Park tonight to watch Springsteen’s first rehearsal for his upcoming tour. I have only seen Bruce in Asbury once, at a holiday fundraiser show back in December of 2001. Convention Hall is an old-school venue and I’m fired up for this evening. I don't think there will be any napping, but you never know.
posted by jersey girl @ 11:13 AM
2 Comments:
At 4/20/2006 6:47 PM,
Todd Cohen said…
When you mentioned the opening was the same as Trading Places, I was going to ask if Randolph and Mortimer Duke were in the house.
The, I remembered. They both have gone the way of the Duke lacrosse team.
Ironic, ain't it?
At 4/21/2006 10:20 AM,
jersey girl said…
Actually, the last time we saw Randolph and Mortimer, they were homeless on the street in "Coming to America." But a fine point nonetheless.
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