Category: Wellington

Last night the opera buffs were out. It was time for a Wagnerian experience with Parsifal. We booked this without knowing anything about the particular piece, as we are not in the knowledge on all things opera.

Anyway, the bottom line is the wheels came of the bus.

It was an early start, 5pm as it is a long peice and due for finish about 10pm, a worry in itself.
it was not a good venue, as the orchestra partially blocked our view, not too pleasing for $110 tickets, and by no means the most expensive. The production seemed uninspired in terms of garb with an incongrous mix of modern and traditional. The music was skillfully played and in parts grabbed the attention but singing in German does not do it for us. It came over as song that would be better spoken. With this level of frustration it not surprisingly felt too long!
Anyway the plebs left before the beginning of the third act.

To cap it all the review in the Dominion Post today raved about it. So we really did not get it. I have my suspicions the positive review was partly bigging up NZ as all singers were Kiwis and it was “important’ for wellington to put on such a production.

Learning points for future; do research before buying tickets and next opera to be seen will be mainstream. But then we are all really Italiophiles anyway aren’t we?

And a final note. When we got home I enjoyed the Bulldogs beating the West Tigers very much more. Rugby League for the ignorant.

So we went off again this time Dad and the ballet dancer in the family to see Aterballetto, an Italian company. No trouble getting to the venue on time, right place first time and lemonades all round.

Did not have any cash so did not buy a programme, but was in three parts

One; Omaggio a Bach “ This starkly beautiful interpretation of Bach’s musical universe explores the geometric and structural perfection of his compositions.”

This opened the show with the use of light to outline individual parts of the dancers, and seemed to present light as life with rising of sun at the beginning and setting at the end. We were up close and saw the brilliant control, strrength and flexibility of the dancers. Unusually, as many male dancers as female, all with scultured bodies and a “six pack” Some amazing movements and great choreographed interactions between the dancers. Loved it as did everyone else.

Two: Songs, “a sensual and refined pas-de-trois”,
two male and one female dancers, with almost competition between them for her. A more classical dance with its movements, timing and power.