"So why do I want to see it if there’s no blood?"

[albadger]

Yes, I know I should be pursuing a voice acting career, moving to Hollywood, building my network of contacts, and eventually grabbing the attention of the producers of a faltering sitcom about a spunky young woman in the big city, which would lead to them casting me as the heroine's randy bisexual grampa, instant C-list fame, too much pressure, a mental breakdown, and relocating to an ashram in eastern Oregon where I would finally find peace and harmony. I'm just too busy travelling to foreign cities to see operas. Tonight it's Washington DC, where I saw Dialogs of the Carmelites tonight.

There's a meme in the opera world that predates calling shit "memes," -- "Not Since Turandot" -- the idea being that no opera has entered the regular repertoire since Puccini's post-mortem masterpiece. Mostly true but not entirely; at Operabase.com they have a fun tool that can show things like "100 most-produced operas." 8 of those 100 were written since Turandot, and Dialogs is one of them. As is Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, which I saw last year and is awesome, also the Rake's Progess also Threepenny Opera (though technically that's a musical and not an opera). Dialogs? Not so awesome. Most of it is that slightly heightened conversational arioso that's the hallmark of post-WW2 opera. Not bad but not riveting. But...

That ending. The nuns are condemned by the Revolution. They mount the scaffold, singing. Then -- thwack! -- one less nun singing, thwack! until you're down to a quartet... a trio, a duet... and then a single voice. Good gravy! The ending alone will keep this baby on the stage for centuries!

Hard to believe this is night 2 of 4 -- nearly halfway through the trip. Tomorrow, more theater, all near Metro stations! I hope.

Comments

[andybr.livejournal.com]

Enjoy. And yep - that ending on stage is a bit spine tingling
I agree. The last time I saw it in Sydney, I was actually pleased when one of the principals had the thwack....it was a fitting ending to her annoying performance

[albadger.livejournal.com]

Good news last night was all the singers were in top-notch form, esp. Force of Nature Emeritus Dolora Zajick (no beheading for her, she dies in Act 1) and Leah Crocetto, Force of Nature On the Rise.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

You've just seen one of the few operas I've actually seen. Back in the 80's, I worked as a theatre critic for a Houston weekly. They didn't have anyone to cover HGO's production of "Dialog of the Carmelites" and sent me, though I was singularly unprepared.

I was there with all of the swanky, rich folk on opening night, slept through the Second Act and only two of us were left in the center orchestra section in the Third Act. The other person was the Houston Chronicle critic.

I just remember lots of angsty singing and wishing for a male voice or two; the singing was competent. I was thrilled when, one by one, the nuns were beheaded:)

[albadger.livejournal.com]

So the entire ruling elite of Houston bailed? I always suspected those people had no backbone. ;)

Last night, interestingly, only had 1 intermission, about halfway through the original Act 2. One of the noticeable changes in opera production over the past 30 years -- people used to want MORE intermissions to eat & schmooze through -- La Boheme used to be done with THREE, which means more intermission time than actual drama. Today people want to get it over with. Go figure.