Last night I went to the Opera for the first time since my undergrad. It's sad that I can only afford to partake in hoity-toity culture when I'm a student; all other times I can't afford regular priced anythings. Maybe rush tickets if I rolled that way. Thankfully I have another year to take advantage of student rates.
I tend to get a little involved with things that I watch: movies, plays, rock shows, sporting events, video game playing, people doing stupid shit... I think watching hockey on tv as a youth made me think everything is worthy of commentary. So it's no surprise that I kept whispering to my friend through the first act of Tosca until I forced myself to shut up; I continued to pfft my way through the latter two acts. Scarpia was loathesome and at times I had to stop myself from yelling, "Leave her alone, you snake!" I just squirmed and looked at the people beside me with a "can you believe that guy?" look instead of commenting. Better for everyone.
Some of the wigs were terrible. Eileen told me the last opera had mullets. Ew. This one had long blahblah hair, flowing in waves down Cavaradossi's back. It's the reason I'm glad I didn't have access to opera glasses. Tosca's few dresses looked pretty amazing from far away, so that's what I'll cling to. The singing was absolutely fantastic and I got shivers a few times when they hit some of the notes. Unlike some people, I didn't cry, but it's only because I knew what was coming.
Can you imagine watching someone you love in front of a firing squad, thinking it was an act, then finding out they were dead? Then being chased for stabbing a sukebe chief of police to death for trying to sexually attack you in exchange for your loved one's life? Tosca had a lot on her mind, so it's no surprise she hurled herself over the castle wall. She was complex. Rome was finished for her.
Opera... that's some good shit.
Tonight I'm hoping to make it to the Cine for a movie and then maybe head over to Fuse for a bit. Like I said, I have to jam in as much culture as I can. And I haven't really been through the Huang Yong Ping exhibit; just a breeze-through after they took the insects and reptiles out of the House of Oracles exhibit (thanks a lot, retarded SPCA people who just heard there were animals in it and decided, unseen, it was evil, even though none of the insects or lizards ate each other, which was the basis for the complaint). And the BC Binning exhibit closes on Saturday, so I want to see it once more before the space is taken over by Emily Carr and the Group of Seven.
Hey, in June there's an all-night Fuse, from 6pm to 6am. Anyone in?
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