This is a tad long, please skip over if you want. I must share with you my experience! Last night I got to see my first live opera, Capricco with Fleming at the Chicago Lyric Opera. I will say this is NOT my favorite opera. I’ve tried watching it on the MET website and could never make it through. But I have wanted to see Fleming live in an opera before the rumored retirement and it wasn’t too terrible far of a drive so I bought a ticket. I sat in the front row upper balcony and was told this was where the best sound was. I had a jumbo screen about 10 feet in front of me. At first I found the screen distracting BUT after about 15 minutes I got used to it and really did like it. Having the subtitles close was great and having the option to watch the stage or the screen was nice. I did take my binoculars and I’m glad I did because the set was sooooo amazing (the met set)! And let’s not forget the lighting…whomever designed the lighting for this show should get an Oscar. It was gorgeous. I digress, we had an understudy for La Roche and he was AMAZING, he actually got the loudest cheer from the audience. I found the opera much more watchable live, it was funny at times, the music moved, and everyone seemed to be having a good time on stage. After act one about ½ the balcony cleared out. Fleming’s voice seemed to take a while to warm up and I had a hard time hearing her over the orchestra, which was amazing btw especially the horn section. Act two she sounded stronger but there were still times I was straining to hear her. The 20 minute aria at the end was great she hit all her notes and I could hear her but the power I’ve come to be familiar with when listening to her online was not there. Perhaps she wasn’t feeling 100% either? When curtain call came no one in the balcony stood except for maybe 3 of us. Looking down on the floor about ½ where on their feet. Perhaps it was the vehicle? I know this opera is kind of a love it or hate it but the audience just didn’t really seem into it. In closing I must add that during intermission I accidently bumped into Sir Davis. I was walking in front of the house to stretch my legs when a gentleman side stepped me to get into the stage door, he paused and said ‘excuse me’ and there he was. I was a bit slack jawed, not sure why he was in a sweater outside during intermission, but there he was. Lol After the performance the floods gates opened so I took a seat in the stage door lobby with about 15 other folk to wait for the crowd to clear. About 30 minutes later it was just me and a girl and her dad when Fleming walked out. I really had no hope in meeting her, I know she is the “people’s diva” but SHE IS RENEE FLEMING! THE American soprano, I just assumed she didn’t greet public unless it was a planned meet and greet. She actually raised the gate and walked into the lobby with us. She could have easily went out the actual stage door and avoided us. She was very sweet, very talkative and a lot taller than I thought she would be in person. (I’d really like to know how her hair looks that great after 3 hours in a wig.) She mentioned her daughters, one is graduated from college the other is at school in the Chicago area. She also said she will be returning to Chicago the same time next year, in what I didn’t ask, I should have but didn’t. All in all it was fun trip and a pretty good first live Opera experience!
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 23:42:01 +0000
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