Never having witnessed Sacramento Opera before, this was an exciting new experience for the Diva! In alot of ways, from the pre-theater drinks to the official show La Traviata was an Italian music experience. Based on the novel and play La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, Jr., La Traviata is one of the ten most popular operas in the repertoire. The story was immortalized in the classic movie Camille starring Greta Garbo and later given a popular update in Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts. This video below is a clip from the movie depicting the most popular parts of this classic opera, and it is very much like the movie! Even with gorgeous crying scene in the end!
(I know there are Hebrew subtitles but it's YouTube, what can you do?)
From my favorite number Brindisi (big party scene), to the wrought emotion on the stage this was an engaging experience to say the least! Now the one oddity (in the extreme) that this particular performance, my first Sac Opera experience, was a LACK of Act III - yes, you read that correctly! After Act I I was humming with excitement, all the initial romantic groundwork it laid out in this sequence, Act II was a but kinda boring, (girl is sick, and asked to leave guy she loves so he can marry a rich not-sick heiress), and at the end of Act II it gets exciting cause the guy (cad) throws money at the girl like a whore and then regrets is (duh) and then is faced with a glove & face slapping duel! YEAH, excitement, good part! Right? NO! They literally raised the curtain (sans 2 main actors) and bowed, very quick applause and then curtain dropped! FOR REAL! They skipped the ENTIRE third act! and here's the kicker, No one noticed, granted it was all old rich people of a certain pale persuasion but they quickly moved out of their seats like they were missing Bingo! And then a horribly rude couple sitting next to us had the audacity to ask "Arn't you leaving now?" As I had not jumped out as quickly as they did! I know! So we made it out of the theater all suspicious of foul play and wondering what occurred?? I mean the third act is noted in the playbill with full description, a great death scene! WE got GIPPED, only a 2/3rds opera experience! Oh well, the singing was grand, and hopefully all are well, but next time I go to the opera I want to see the full deal, otherwise I'm staying at home to watch Pretty Woman!
(I know there are Hebrew subtitles but it's YouTube, what can you do?)
From my favorite number Brindisi (big party scene), to the wrought emotion on the stage this was an engaging experience to say the least! Now the one oddity (in the extreme) that this particular performance, my first Sac Opera experience, was a LACK of Act III - yes, you read that correctly! After Act I I was humming with excitement, all the initial romantic groundwork it laid out in this sequence, Act II was a but kinda boring, (girl is sick, and asked to leave guy she loves so he can marry a rich not-sick heiress), and at the end of Act II it gets exciting cause the guy (cad) throws money at the girl like a whore and then regrets is (duh) and then is faced with a glove & face slapping duel! YEAH, excitement, good part! Right? NO! They literally raised the curtain (sans 2 main actors) and bowed, very quick applause and then curtain dropped! FOR REAL! They skipped the ENTIRE third act! and here's the kicker, No one noticed, granted it was all old rich people of a certain pale persuasion but they quickly moved out of their seats like they were missing Bingo! And then a horribly rude couple sitting next to us had the audacity to ask "Arn't you leaving now?" As I had not jumped out as quickly as they did! I know! So we made it out of the theater all suspicious of foul play and wondering what occurred?? I mean the third act is noted in the playbill with full description, a great death scene! WE got GIPPED, only a 2/3rds opera experience! Oh well, the singing was grand, and hopefully all are well, but next time I go to the opera I want to see the full deal, otherwise I'm staying at home to watch Pretty Woman!
Lol! You did get gipped, but not by Sac Opera. You left at the intermission, my dear. The couple who asked if you were leaving, probably just wanted to not have to crawl over you for their potty break. The company gave the chorus their own bow after Act II because they would not be seen in Act III. You may have noticed that none of the principals bowed... Next time stick around for the ending and leave your tape of Pretty Woman for the next night. ;) In case you feel like seeing any other live shows in the future, know that unless the audience/house lights are brought back up to full, the performance is not over! Sorry you ended up missing the end! -The Chorus Member Wearing Purple in Act II
ReplyDeleteYeah, you totally missed Act III. Sacramento Opera DID include it. Ms. Gooch is right about the chorus bow. As I recall, Sacramento Opera was still running super titles during that break (it's called intermission)- they don't run super titles when it's over AND they had placards all over the lobby explaining the running time (act 1, intermission, act 2 w/a break, intermission, act 3) AND they had the entire synopsis printed in the programs AND no principals bowed after Act 2. The house lights did come on during that intermission - but that's because it's the law for the theater to do so. However, other than someone getting up on stage and saying "don't leave after act 2" I'm not sure how SacOpera could have made the running of the opera more clear! I suggest next time if you're 'suspicious of foul play' just ask an usher or staff member. Even going up to someone on staff demanding your money back would have gotten your confusion quickly straightened out. Better luck next time!
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