Let the Fat Lady Sing...

A few weeks ago my dad, husband, and I went to NYC to see Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera House. I happen to love opera, and I was thrilled when my husband and I finally got to see one together  last year. I was even more thrilled when he loved it just as much as I did.  This year, the three of us decided to take in an opera together, and it was a spectacular evening. I know a lot of people dislike opera, or don't know much about it. To some, the following clip is the only opera they are familiar with:

(Thank you Wagner)

We drove into the city that night, took a frenzied trip to the Nintendo World Store and had delicious French food (Bistro Cassis, if anyone is interested) for dinner. Then, off to Lincoln Center we went.

FYI, the following post will contain spoilers about Tosca. If you have any interest in it and don't want to find out the ending...don't read any further.

Tosca is a typical opera: it has love, betrayal, and like any good tragic opera, suicide. Maybe I should say it is a typical Puccini opera. Puccini was great for that. He's also the composer of La Boheme and Madame Butterfly. Master of tragedies.  It is short as far as operas go (three hours or so) and the Met production didn't disappoint...much.  I'm not an opera aficionado, as some would say. I don't follow the particular singers at the Met the way some opera lovers do. If I'm interested in an opera, I will go see it whether Renee Fleming is in it or not. To me, all the voices are talented and wonderful, and who am I to judge?

I was immediately taken in by the singers, the music...the staging, not so much. The second act in particular had a disturbing lack of scenery...it was very modern, and didn't seem to fit in with the story. This particular director had also taken some liberties with the original libretto, and many people were disappointed in that (he added things that didn't need to be there, and eliminated a very important scene at the end of the second act). But, the story in a nutshell is this: Tosca is a celebrated singer in Italy. Her boyfriend is accused of hiding a political prisoner who has escaped from prison. The evil police commissioner, Scarpia, takes the boyfriend away to torture information out of him. He tells Tosca he will let him go... if she becomes his lover instead. DUN DUN DUNNNN... Tosca doesn't play that way of course. She kills the police commissioner, but her boyfriend is taken by the firing squad anyway. It ends with Tosca's suicide.

Scenery aside, it was still a great production. I was amazed a few days later when a work colleague of mine forwarded me a scathing review from the New York Times about this production, when it premiered a year ago. The audience at the Met disliked it so much that they booed the director when he came out on stage! I've never heard of such behavior. While I had issues with the scenery and the final scene of Tosca's suicide (or lack thereof, I should say), I would never dream to boo anyone. New York is a tough city, I guess.

I had a wonderful evening. The Met is a magical place. I love everything about it, from the red carpets on the staircases, crystal chandeliers and gaudy Marc Chagall paintings. I love walking across Lincoln Center and seeing the fountain, and breathing in the buzz of other excited music lovers. I love getting a glass of champagne during intermission and people watching with my dad.

It's a shame it is so expensive, because I would love to see more than one opera per season. But I'm lucky to even see one, because the night is a great experience. If anyone has any interest in opera, I highly encourage them to check one out. The Met isn't the only place to see operas; most states have good local companies who put on a few productions a year, for half of the price of a Met show. Until next season (when the husband and I are going to see yet another Puccini opera-Madame Butterfly-I say, Bravo!