WWFD?

[muckefuck]

Seeing as there is no Italian-run English-style tavern within walking distance of the Lyric, we ended up dining across the street at Rivers last night. bunj was having a little trouble settling on an entree, so I helpfully suggested he ask himself "What Would Falstaff Do?" In the end, it's probably just as well he didn't take my advice, since Falstaff would probably have ordered the three most expensive things on the menu and found a way to stick me with the tab. It did guide me toward some lovely lamb chops with mascarpone polenta, however, so it wasn't completely useless.

Overall, I have to say I think I found this performance of Falstaff superior to the previous one--which pains me to say, because that one had Bryn Terfel in it and this one didn't, but I think that may have been almost a liability. Terfel has such celebrity presence that it's like watching Meryl Streep, whereas Shore could disappear entirely into the role. Also, I think the supporting cast was stronger this time, particularly Villarroel as Alice Ford and Arwady as Mistress Quickly. I don't really remember the young lovers from that last go-round, but I find it hard to imagine the performers did a better job than Griffin and our own off_coloratura. If only all love duets could be that charming, e. and I would never doze off during the first act of any opera again!

In fact, the only real drawbacks were Sir Andrew's clumsy conducting drowning out the lighter singers at key moments and not having our regular seats. (I could see them from where we were, and they were empty for the entire performance. What gives?) I didn't mind so much being squeezed into a row since we had an absolutely impeccable pair of young women on our left who were very patient with our comings-and-goings (curse you, Chicago Federation of Musicians and your need for two 20+ minutes breaks!), but I wanted to bludgeon the old bat behind me. I already can't stand someone kicking my seat, but if you want to really annoy me, by all means keep fidgeting with your sandpapery hands inches from my ears so I'm distracted by scraping sounds all through the last act.

As a bonus, it was snowing prettily on the way home but the walks were all clear and the bus came mere moments after I made it to the corner. Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't oversleep this morning and have to rush to work without washing my hair, but it makes me less tired sitting here than I expected. Only one week until Barber! The time, how she flies!

Comments

[off_coloratura]

Aww... thanks! :)

Just FYI, though - Daniel played Ford. Bryan Griffin was Fenton.

Did you notice Boaz missed an entrance in the third act?

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the correction--fixed. (I have to say, he looks totally different with the facial hair, but I should've recognised him anyway because I've seen him in so many Rising Young Stars concerts at this point.) I did very much like Daniel as Ford as well; really, no one did a bad job.

I don't know the opera well enough to have noticed the missed entrance. I'll have to ask Nuphy if he did.

[stephe.livejournal.com]

a) Rivers is hereby noted. Have you ever tried Pizanos in the Loop for an after-opera meal. They're nothing really special, but on a cold winter night they fit the bill quite well for gourmands such as queenmomcat and myself.

b) I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one who had problems hearing the singers over the orchestra at Lyric productions. I was thinking we had bad seats and/or my ears were falling apart.

c) I see your old bat with fidgety hands and raise you a Parkinsons patient with a rolled up program.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

1. We're never in the mood for an after-opera meal; we're Midwesterners, not Mediterraneans. (Well, three out of four of us anyways.) Rivers is expensive, which is why we don't go there more often, but you can hardly beat it for convenience.
2. One does not preclude the other. Pay attention to the conductor; the problem should be less noticeable with guests.
3. Suck, sympathy!