RANDOM JOTTINGS

A blog about music, sports, theatre and rants

Long time blogger just moved to wordpress. Love music, theatre, movies, sport (tennis and cricket) and cooking. Two great daughters, two great granddaughters.

Random at the Opera

Well I have had a rant this week and a book review so now I am going to have a ramble.

Last weekend I took my eldest granddaughter, Florence, to the opera. She loves classical music and plays the violin and we were discussing opera one night and she said "Grandma will you take me to the opera for my birthday?" I was simply bowled over and said I would love to.

So last Saturday we went to the Royal Opera House to see the Marriage of Figaro.  I had splashed out on good and expensive seats, mainly for my comfort I freely admit. The days of the Gods and the Amphitheatre are long gone mainly because of my arthritis.  Beforehand I had booked us in to the Crush Room for supper. 

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It was all wonderful and the staff there courteous, friendly and efficient. I had told them it was Florence's birthday celebration so she got a free drink to go with her meal and when her dessert arrived, the chef had piped Happy Birthday on her plate.  She loved it so much she wanted to take the plate home with the writing on…

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And the good thing was that our table was there for the evening so we could leave coats, scarves etc there in safety so no stuffing under the chair or queuing to collect garments at the end.

Well, the opera itself. What can I say? I had forgotten just how funny Figaro can be and the audience were in fits at times. I knew none of the cast as I have not been to the opera for years but it did not matter. They were all brilliant and what is so wonderful about Figaro is that it is like listening to Mozart's Greatest Hits one after the other.  There was one moment at the start of the third act when Susannah and the Countess were singing what is called the Letter Duet, when the beauty of it made me catch my throat and I just welled up. Sublime.

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I was so proud of Florence. She was so grown up and self assured and polite and a joy to be with. It is a long opera and I think we were both flagging a bit by the end to be honest and the icing on the cake was that as we left the opera house there were her parents who had also been in London at the theatre, and we went home by taxi. Such a luxury!

A simply wonderful evening and the opera was just, well, glorious.

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16 responses to “Random at the Opera”

  1. Susan D Avatar
    Susan D

    Oh, lucky you and lucky Florence.
    Perhaps you have an opera-going buddy now for life….

    Reply
  2. Annabel Gaskell Avatar
    Annabel Gaskell

    What a wonderful treat for you and Florence – the ROH too! Although my mum had long taken me to the ballet at the ROH, I can remember my first opera – it was The Barber of Seville at the Coliseum and I went with my dad sitting up in the Gods. I was about ten. The first visit of many.

    Reply
  3. Elaine Avatar
    Elaine

    Helen, it was wonderful and an evening I will never forget. Years ao I took Helen (Florence’s mother) to her first Prom concert at the Albert Hall and now I have had the joy of taking my granddaughter to her first opera. Beat that!
    Thank you for your kind comments on my photo. Taken by Florence when we were having our supper in the Crush Room.

    Reply
  4. Helen Avatar
    Helen

    Wow, that must have been a glorious experience for you both and how lucky are you to have each other! I adore opera but these days have to settle for dvds which aren’t the same thing but better than nothing. By the bye, I LOVE the new photo of you; it really shows your personality and you look very young and fresh:)

    Reply
  5. Erika W. Avatar
    Erika W.

    Yes, that’s right. With a German Libretto.

    Reply
  6. Elaine Avatar
    Elaine

    was that the one from Drottingholm? if so, my girls loved it when small and we watched it all the time. Also enjoyed the old Hockney production for Glyndbourne with Ben Luxon as Papageno. I would love to take Florence to see it some time

    Reply
  7. Erika W. Avatar
    Erika W.

    The best Magic Flute I have seen was actually Ingmar Bergman’s filmed version. It beat the 2 stage productions I have attended by a mile!
    Reading “the Wynne Diaries” , dated from late 1700s onwards, her family, living on the Continent, went to every performance of The Magic Flute, in every city where it was performed. It must have hit like The Beatles..

    Reply
  8. Elaine Avatar
    Elaine

    I have loved opera since I was about 11 years old. I just think it is one of the great art forms. I discovered Wagner in my twenties and was overwhelmed by it and have attended Ring cycles. Sadly, mad producers get hold of it and I have seen some stinkers, prpduction wise, in my time. I love the Magic Flute too.
    It was just a glorious evening all round

    Reply
  9. Elaine Avatar
    Elaine

    When Florence asked me to take her I was quite overwhelmed and it was a magical experience. When I am no longer here I know she will remember Grandma took me to my first opera. wonderful

    Reply
  10. Elaine Avatar
    Elaine

    I have seen Don Giovanni many times but will not make an effort to see it again as I do find it overly long and by the end I have had enough. the Magic Flute is my favourite Mozart opera and so far have managed to avoid modern productions. I have not been to see figaro “live” for yonks so sheer joy to see it again
    and the meal
    and the taxi!
    Bliss

    Reply
  11. Elaine Avatar
    Elaine

    Difficult to put into words just how I feel about it all. Everything was just perfect

    Reply
  12. Dark Puss Avatar
    Dark Puss

    I love the Magic Flute in all its interpretations!

    Reply
  13. Dark Puss Avatar
    Dark Puss

    Excellent for both of you! The first opera I went to was (I think) Gounod’s Faust aged about 6 and I liked it BUT it was far too long for me at that age!I remember with great pleasure seeing Die Meistersinger in San Francisco in 1993 (very fortunate, a friend had two tickets and her guest at the last minute had to move apartments) and a few other opera’s since, but it isn’t really my music style generally.

    Reply
  14. Ellen Duffy Avatar
    Ellen Duffy

    What a lovely evening for both of you and I’m a sure one you’ll both remember for a long time. I think that time spent with grandparents is so special and am deeply thankful that I knew all four of mine and had quality time with all of them and so great memories of each of them.

    Reply
  15. Margaret Powling Avatar
    Margaret Powling

    What a wonderful memory you have stored up for your granddaughter. I have always loved opera, too, since many years ago (the early 1950s) I saw Carmen on the TV (small 14 inch black and white in those dim and distant days). Figaro is one of my favourites, as you say Mozart’s Greatest Hits all in one opera. I also love Don Giovani, too, but not The Magic Flute (saw a modern version, maybe that has killed it for me – it was set on an American freeway for some unknown reason, it was horrible!) And the meal sounded lovely, too, and going home by taxi, such luxury, just the way to finish what sounded to be a perfect evening.

    Reply
  16. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    Oh how wonderful! An evening both of you will always remember.

    Reply

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