Opening Night of La Traviata at Vancouver Opera

I have just sat down at the live-bloggers table at Vancouver Opera opening night. We are running a little late so I will leave it at that and go for my back stage tour.

Here is the classy photo of my new suit jacket. If you look carefully in the back ground you can see our omnipresent diaper genie.

We have completed our backstage tour of the set. It is always interesting to hear about the “business” of opera. Building, renting and storing opera sets is a big business. Who would have known?

Spoiler alert…apparently this is not one of those live-happily-ever-after operas. While we were backstage we saw “the bed” where the death scene takes place.

Well it is intermission. What a shitty deal that the dude’s father has laid on Violetta!! He makes Violetta leave her love so that his daughter can marry some snooty prick who won’t marry her if her brother is hanging out with Violetta. What a shitty deal.

So at this point Violetta has left Alfredo (her love). She has returned to her party life in Paris and left her true love enraged at his father for forcing her to make this choice. Awful.

As for the opera performance itself, what a fabulously sumptuous set. The day time scenes were beautifully lit making the scene feel like a loving, comfotable home for Alfredo and Violetta.

Before the beautiful morning scene though was the Parisian party scene. Gorgeous flowing gowns and voices soaring…ahh…the beauty of it all.

Intermission is almost over. I must return to my seat in order to enjoy the conclusion. I am not hopeful that all will be well. I am not at all hopeful.