Plain words, uncommon sense
Blogger Night at the Opera included a lot of photo taking by those much better equipped than I. Here are a few of my favourite picks from my fellow opera bloggers:
Rigoletto as seen by Tris Hussey
Opening Night from Tanya’s Point of View
[photos to come]
Look at more photos from Kimli …
Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi’s Rigoletto
March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009
Did you attend last night’s performance of Rigoletto, performed by the Vancouver Opera? Share your thoughts. Did you like it? What was your favourite opera this season? Are you a regular opera goer? Ladies, did you have a great dress? Gentlemen, best part of the evening?
Backstage Tour
There are a series of lights below the raised stage-cage where most of the performance takes place. We got to climb up to the stage from the lower deck.
On stage, we had a close look at the rigging for the cage doors that open and how the placements are marked out on the flooring.
Prop management is terribly important. Each thing is in its place and easy to grab as the performers go on stage. And it is returned to its place after use.
Downstairs in the bowels of the theatre are the props room, wigs and makeup and the repairs department. This dress is next up for a fix.
Live blogging the opera.
We were a small curiosity, sitting out in the lobby, tapping away on computers. It gave us a chance to talk about opera and here people’s stories about why they were there and what they like best about Vancouver Opera.
This is Rose of the Vancouver Opera Guild, which helps fuel appreciation and support for opera in BC.
Post-performance, we were invited backstage for the after party, where there was some delicious food and general milling about and hobnobbing.
And the singers were applauded and much merriment took place. So much so that I couldn’t get a sharp photo. This could also have been because I had a glass of wine in hand.
I enjoyed the opera very much, especially getting the chance to go backstage and understand the behind-the-scenes workings.
Just before I lost the wifi connection, I was trying to post this …
Last minute preparation is in full swing. We just came from backstage where a couple of performers are walking the stage. We had a peak into the wigs and wardrobe room. Great set of red heels was in there.
Now we’re in the lobby drawing curious glances from the swish and swanky.
Lots of lovely beaded bags, cute shoes and every now and then a bit of sparkle, feathers and fur.
Favourite conversation thread:
Guest: What are you doing?
Us: Blogging the opera.
Guest: Oh, blogging.
Walk away.
Us: Giggle and tweet (ok, maybe that’s just me)
Ladies and Gentlemen the auditorium will be opening shortly. We hope you enjoy the performance.
Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi’s Rigoletto
March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009
All performances 7:30 pm
In Italian with English translations projected above the stage
The performance will last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission.
Conducted by Leslie Dala
Directed by Glynis Leyshon
Act 3 of Rigoletto
Rigoletto, who is now obsessed with seeking revenge, has plotted with the assassin Sparafucile to kill the Duke. Gilda, who despite everything is still in love with the Duke, pleads with her father for his life. Rigoletto takes her to Sparafucile’s inn and forces her to watch as the Duke, again dressed as a student, seduces Maddalena, Sparafucile’s sister. Gilda is devastated and Rigoletto sends her away while he and Sparafucile finalize their plan to murder the Duke.
Meanwhile, Maddalena pleads with her brother to spare the handsome young student and to murder the hunchback instead. Sparafucile refuses to kill Rigoletto but agrees on a compromise: he will kill the next stranger who comes through the door so as to be able to produce a dead body. Gilda, who has returned, overhears the plan and she decides to sacrifice herself. She enters and is stabbed.
Rigoletto returns to the inn to claim the duke’s body. Sparafucile produces a heavy sack, which Rigoletto begins to drag away. As he does so, he hears the Duke singing in the distance. Frantic, he tears the sack open to find his dying daughter inside. As she dies, Rigoletto cries out, remembering Monterone’s curse.
Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi’s Rigoletto
March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009
All performances 7:30 pm
In Italian with English translations projected above the stage
The performance will last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission.
Conducted by Leslie Dala
Directed by Glynis Leyshon
Act 2 of Rigoletto by Vancouver Opera
Alone in his palace, the Duke is upset: when he returned to Gilda’s house he found it deserted. His courtiers enter and tell him how they have tricked Rigoletto, abducted Gilda and left her in the Duke’s chamber. Overjoyed that Gilda is now his, the Duke hurries off to meet her.
Rigoletto enters, desperately searching for Gilda. The courtiers are astounded to learn that she is his daughter, but refuse to take him to her. A Page reports that Gilda is alone with the Duke. Mad with rage, Rigoletto tries unsuccessfully to rescue her and is finally reduced to begging for her release. When a distraught Gilda rushes in, Rigoletto embraces her and orders the others to leave them alone.
Gilda then tells of her abduction and seduction at the hands of the Duke. Monterone is led through the room on his way to execution. Rigoletto swears both he and the elderly Count will be avenged, while Gilda, who loves her betrayer, begs her father to forgive the Duke.
Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi’s Rigoletto
March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009
All performances 7:30 pm
In Italian with English translations projected above the stage
The performance will last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission.
Conducted by Leslie Dala
Directed by Glynis Leyshon
Act 1
At a riotous gathering, the Duke of Mantua boasts to his guests about his talent with women and especially his excitement over his latest amorous adventure. For the past three months he has been secretly pursuing a young woman he first saw in church.
Seeing the Count and Countess Ceprano, the Duke boldly seduces the Countess while his hunchbacked jester Rigoletto mocks her enraged but helpless husband. The courtier Marullo bursts into the gathering to share the latest gossip: Rigoletto has a mistress! The other courtiers, who all hate Rigoletto, discuss the news while Rigoletto continues to taunt an enraged Ceprano.
The debauchery of the evening is interrupted by the sudden appearance of the honourable Count Monterone, who denounces the Duke for seducing his daughter. Rigoletto delights in ridiculing Monterone as the Duke has him arrested. Turning on the jester, Monterone curses him, leaving him terrified.
Later that night, on the way home, Rigoletto runs into Sparafucile, an assassin. Sparafucile offers his services should Rigoletto ever need them and continues on his way. Forlornly, Rigoletto reflects on the parallels between Sparafucile and himself: one kills with his sword, the other uses his sharp tongue as his weapon.
His mood is lifted as he reaches his home and greets his beloved daughter, Gilda, a convent-raised young girl whom he tries to shield from the ugliness and danger of the outside world. Gilda asks for stories about her long-dead mother and Rigoletto describes her as an angel. He adds that Gilda is all he has left, so he fears for her safety. Gilda reassures him that, while she aches for more freedom, she ventures out only to go to church.
Hearing someone in the courtyard below, Rigoletto warns Gilda’s nurse, Giovanna, not to let anyone enter. As he leaves to investigate the noise, the Duke slips in and bribes Giovanna to leave him alone with Gilda. The Duke, disguised as a poor student, declares his love for Gilda, who has also noticed him at church. Giovanna comes in, warning of footsteps outside. The Duke leaves and an entranced Gilda relives the beauty of their romantic encounter.
Outside, the courtiers have gathered in the street intending to abduct Gilda, whom they believe to be Rigoletto’s mistress. Rigoletto appears, interrupting their plans, so they tell him they are going to abduct Count Ceprano’s wife, who lives nearby. Rigoletto agrees to help and is duped into wearing a blindfold and unknowingly helps them with the abduction of his own daughter. Laughing, the courtiers break into the house and carry Gilda away. Realizing he has been tricked, Rigoletto removes the blindfold and rushes into the house. He discovers Gilda is gone and collapses as he remembers Monterone’s curse.
My fellow blogger/tweeter at the Vancouver Opera tonight is Tris who’s sweetie is soprano Sheila Christie. Sheila is performing in Verdi’s Rigoletto.
Tris says:
Quote:
Tomorrow night I’ll be joining my fellow bloggers for Verdi’s Rigoletto which is done in a new way with a punk-goth-mediaeval feel to it. In fact Sheila had some pink and purple highlight in her hair at the start of rehearsals (which could have been problematic) and they asked her to punch them up a notch for the performance! How rockin’ is that!?!
I’m excited!
Vancouver Opera is sending 4 bloggers to Blogger Night at Rigoletto. My 3 opera-blogging companions are Tris Hussey, Tanya of NetChick, Kimli of Delicious Juice, and Miss604 herself, Rebecca.
Our great opera-blogging evening is happening on opening night, which means fancy fashion, high heels, sparkles along with falsies and falsettos. Vancouver Opera posts their fashion favs in their Fashion at the Opera facebook album.
Want to See Rigoletto? Queen Elizabeth Theatre @ 7:30 pm on the following dates:
Saturday March 7th
Tuesday March 10th
Thursday March 12th
Saturday March 14th
Tuesday March 17th.
Buy tickets from the Vancouver Opera.
Did I mention we get a backstage tour and will be live blogging before the show? Stop by at our table. I’ll let you know the wifi password.
I missed blogging Carmen because I was out of town in San Francisco. Apparently Carmen had actual smoking onstage, but there will be none of that for Rigoletto. I bet Verdi smoked.
Regardless, there will be nudity and suggestive scenes, and, according to publicist Selina, “a cage, and a girl who dies in a sack.”
What the hell is Rigoletto about?
Quote: Rigoletto is a misshapen jester whose barbs enrage the courtiers and induce an ominous curse. Gilda is his adored daughter who becomes the innocent victim of their revenge. Seduced by the philandering Duke, Gilda sacrifices her life to save his. Rigoletto is left broken and alone.
Oh, and did I mention the Manga version.
And did I mention the cool Vancouver Opera blog at http://vancouveropera.blogspot.com/
Christina Aguilera’s new perfume Inspire was a big hit in Tel-Aviv thanks to a great marketing stunt.
Mizbala of Tel-Aviv placed tens of thousands of quality clothes hangers, with a perfume sample and a branded Christina Aguilera label in public locations all over the country. (Via AdPulp c/o James @ AdHack)
The campaign is called “Sometimes It’s All You Need to Wear.”
The perfume sold out in 1 week.
Perfumer Notes
Inspire is a beautiful white floral, with a lightness of touch, twisted with colourful fruit notes. This is a fragrance that’s classic and enduring; sweetly feminine and sexy, with a vibrant freesia top note and a heart of beautiful Tuberose flower, one of Christina’s favourite ingredients.
Top: Mango, Hydroponic Freesia, Citrus Complex
Heart: Tuberose, Rose, Frangipani
Base: Valencia Orange, Musk, Sandalwood
Apparently the bangers and mash really hit the fan in Christopher Moore’s new novel Fool.
Published by Harper Canada
Travis introduced me to Christopher Moore a while ago. I read his copy of Fluke. If I had more than 2 minutes to myself in the next month, I’d be getting my hands on a copy.
Aside from that I’m reading Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (distributed by Raincoast Books).
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