B&c had tickets to see Jenufa at the Washington National Opera last night. [This is not a performing arts blog, but briefly: last night's performance kicked ass. I often dread slightly the prospect of going to the opera, and I was completely new to Janicek's work, but it was riveting. Beautiful music, exceptionally well sung and acted. The two female leads -- Patrica Racette and Catherine Malfitano -- were brilliant. The orchestra sounded terrific.]
Supposedly, it was Out Night, which usually means that someone in the administration has made a special effort to sell tickets to the gays. (We were there last night because we'd had to move our tickets from a night when b&c was out of the country.) Often, there is an additional lecture or tour before or after the performance. B&c eats that sort of thing up, but I find them to be tedious affairs. When we saw The Goat, or, Who Is Sylvia (the performance of which was not, truly, a tedious affair), we went to a discussion with the cast and director afterwards, and I got to see people tripping over themselves in an attempt to impress with their erudition. I was certainly impressed, but not favorably. I refused any attempts to get me to such an activity last night. Usually, I try to be a good sport about it, but not on a weeknight.
I couldn't help wondering why an Out Night is needed at the opera. The opera is really not one of those places where the gays feel unwelcome. And I didn't notice a particular preponderance of queers last night (unless you count the chorus, but that's a given). By the way, if you don't have a functioning gaydar and you're at the opera, just look for any guy under 50. If he's not there with a wife or girlfriend, then he's gay. If he is there with a wife or girlfriend, then flip a coin.
By the way, if you happen to be a costume designer for the WNO, let me just say that I understand that you want the bad boy's costume to say "bad boy," but some tenors really should not be sent out on stage wearing leather pants. Enough said?
Also, if you happen to be that cute Asian man who was on the aisle in the far left section of the second tier (about halfway up), yes, that was my partner I was with last night, but he's really not the possessive type.
Dating Theory
10 years ago
2 comments:
Oh, man, I envy you that cast in that opera. Jenufa is a huge favorite of mine, and I can't ever get through the last duet without going completely to pieces.
Just to let you thet there's NO OBLIGATION, but I tagged you for question as to why you blog about the things you blog about. It's part of my current post and, as I say, if it's something you'd rather skip, that's fine.
Have a great weekend.
I've come to avoid those talk-to-the-cast deals like the plague. As you say, questions are seldom asked. Usually, someone's trying to make a statement. Arrgh!
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