Why? Because mama wants more dirt on the opera. And, as everyone knows, you shouldn’t let down your fans. So ma, here you are:
The two female leads were incredible. Absolutely, positively, shivers-down-my-spine incredible. Kate Aldrich (Adalgisa) and Hasmik Papian (Norma) shone so bright they made me desperately wish I could sing. (Said my husband to me once: “Oh. I always thought you sang like that as a joke.”)
But I am a modern opera kind of gal. I love visual spectacle — outrageous costumes and conceptual sets. I would take the acrobatics and partial nudity of last season’s Rigoletto over a traditional interpretation any day.
I did love two things about about Oroveso’s costume (played by Alain Coulombe) — his cuffs and his overthrow (what do you call that? Technicolour dream coat?). Actually, his belt’s quite funky too.
Like the ballet, the opera has a soft spot in my heart. I’ve been a fan ever since Ms. F. took our class as part of our grade nine Humanities class. There is something about a big-budget, high-talent production that is so magical. Overwhelming almost. Plus — this time I actually got to go backstage.
Manga by Roy Husada, the first photo is by Tim Matheson. The last one is my own.
