It was like school!

The good kind, I mean. Where a lecture makes you fall so deeply in love with its subject that you want to switch majors. In this case, the subject was Vancouver Opera’s Nixon in China and the lecturer was Assistant Stage Director Stephen Drover.

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As part of the opera’s Fan Night, Drover took us through some of the highlights of the $1.4 million dollar production. It got philosophical. And interesting.

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Ponder this: opera is always seen from afar (hello opera glasses!) but we are living in the age of the close-up (hello HD TV!). So how did the fine folks at the opera bridge that gap? They brought cameras onstage to project visual close ups onto the backdrop and miked the performers (so often frowned upon in the opera world) to achieve audio close ups.

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But my favourite part had nothing to do with technical trickery and everything to do with dance. The second act — oh! The second act! — featured a beautiful sequence choreographed by Wen Wei Wang (whose work I’ve been a fan of for years). It made me realize it’s been far too long since I’ve been to the ballet.

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So what did I wear? A beautiful, straight-out-of-the-eighties dress that my sister found for me. (Thank you, Rissa!) The vintage  clutch is one of many I have in my collection.

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A pendant necklace I also stole from her (how do those of you without sisters dress yourselves?).

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And shoes the colour of pink highlighters.

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Want to see more photos of Nixon in China? Take a look here. (The other gal in that photo? Kim Li of Delicious Juice.)

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Wondering what I wore last time I went to the opera? And the time before that?

The first three images are courtesy of the Vancouver Opera. Thank you again, VO, for an amazing evening!

P.S. I’m on Twitter. Are you?

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20 Comments

  • Reply Larissa March 24, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    Love love love! Suits you to a T!!!!

  • Reply k604bc March 24, 2010 at 9:43 pm

    You look so lovely! I always wonder what it’s like to have a sister. I have 3 little brothers! I’m not complaining but you know… I have lots of girl cousins but still… must be nice to have a sister.

  • Reply UnoCosa March 24, 2010 at 10:04 pm

    i am a single child – so i won’t know a thing about having sis or bro – so i envy you for sure … btw: love the back detail of LBD –

    here is my twitter:
    http://twitter.com/UnoCosa

    find me there, xx

  • Reply quelle March 25, 2010 at 1:51 am

    beautiful dress indeed! serious envy here.

  • Reply janettaylor March 25, 2010 at 3:26 am

    Gorgeous sandals!

    P.S.: ♥Please don’t forget to join the Sporty Knit Tigh-High Socks GIVEAWAY!♥

    Good luck!

  • Reply Kelsey March 25, 2010 at 10:17 am

    Larissa — Thank heavens you found it for me! Thank you times 100!

    k604bc — Three little brothers would be fun too. Just maybe not as good for sharing clothes.

    UnoCosa — Saweet! Just followed you!

    Quelle — Thanks, m’lady!

    JanetTaylor — Sporty knit thigh-high socks?!?! Those sound wild!

  • Reply slk March 25, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    Elegant silhouette. It feels very Lauren Bacallish.

  • Reply slk March 25, 2010 at 12:44 pm

    I forgot to ask. Did you wear the red and black because they were the colours of the production?

  • Reply Kelsey March 25, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    SLK — I’m going to pretend I’m that colour coordinated and say yes.

  • Reply Ling March 25, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    Thanks for coming down to Nixon in China Fan Nite! As always, a pleasure to have you join us.

    I’m glad you enjoyed the production and that the ballet scene in Nixon re-ignited your desire to watch a ballet. Ballet is such a lovely artform.

    Look forward to having you grace us with your chic self for our upcoming Blogger Night at the Opera.

    ~Ling Chan, Vancouver Opera

  • Reply Tweets that mention The Anthology » Blog Archive » It was like school! -- Topsy.com March 25, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kelsey Dundon and Kelsey Dundon, Kelsey Dundon. Kelsey Dundon said: @EmmeRogers Here's the beautiful 80s number I was telling you about: http://is.gd/aYQ9A Are you heading to #yvrtwestival tonight? […]

  • Reply Bri Emery March 26, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    you look stunning!!! that dress looks perfect on you.

    .D E S I G N L O V E F E S T

  • Reply Irina March 27, 2010 at 10:47 am

    I really enjoy the “you might also like” section.

  • Reply xs March 27, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    that dress has such a fabulous cut! hope you had fun!

  • Reply Anya March 29, 2010 at 2:27 pm

    That’s a perfect outfit! I love shoulder pads so much. That dress is a great find – your sister has a great eye!

  • Reply VancityAllie March 29, 2010 at 11:06 pm

    Wow, the only thing more classy than an opera is that dress. So cool.

  • Reply VancityAllie March 29, 2010 at 11:07 pm

    P.S. I really would love to see an opera soon! I’ve heard great things about Nixon.

  • Reply Kelsey March 30, 2010 at 10:23 am

    Ling — Thank you for having me! Cannot wait for Figaro!

    Bri — Thanks chica! I have my sister to thank for that.

    Irina — Oh good, I’m glad to hear that.

    XS — You better believe I did!

    Anya — Shoulder pads are fun, aren’t they? Such a classic (and sometimes hilarious) silhouette.

    VancityAllie — Thank you! You should see Figaro, which is up next. Such a classic!

  • Reply a stylized hysteria April 5, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    You look bee-yoo-tee-ful! :D

  • Reply Madama Butterfly, the memoirs of a geisha | The Anthology May 30, 2010 at 10:27 am

    […] there was the eighties number with the crinoline, then there was the eighties number with the shoulders, then there was the fifties wedding dress and now this. Plus, last season, I rocked this […]

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