# Operatic Party Disasters



## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

What would say is the worst operatic party ever? You know, when everyone is gathered on a beautiful night dressed in their finest, and then there's some horrific angst that just ruins everything. Curious how often this trope gets used, and which is the most awesomely uncomfortable party-wrecking incident in all of opera. (Weddings do count, as long as there are a lot of guests standing around.)

There's La Traviata of course, and Eugene Onegin. I do like the end of I Vespri Siciliani too. I think that one has both a party AND a wedding that end badly...

What's your favorite worst party scene?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

The banquet in Macbeth. Lady Macbeth calls for a toast and old gory locks himself appears and spoils the party. Well only Macbeth can see him and he goes loopy and the king going loopy is not conducive to having a good time.


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

Lucia's wedding reception doesn't really end too well for anyone...

But I find the above-mentioned party scene from _La Traviata_ to be the most emotionally wrenching. A good performance of it can be brutally painful.


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

The most recent Traviata I've seen happens to have been the Opera Platform one from Madrid. I thought the party scene was done quite well. I liked how all the guests left the room and then, left alone, Alfredo started in on Violetta and then the guests started trickling back to observe (shocked, curious, concerned). Very often they're just standing round agog during the whole confrontation, but this seemed more realistic. Also, this was a nice complement/bookend to the original party scene where Alfredo and Violetta are left alone.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

In "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District " by Shostakovich , the protagonists Katerina and her lover Sergei are surprised on their wedding day right in the middle of celebrations by the police who come to arrest them after they have killed her husband and father-in-law , after which they are sentenced to hard labor in Siberia . 
Not a very happy ending to this sordid tale .


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

superhorn said:


> In "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District " by Shostakovich , the protagonists Katerina and her lover Sergei are surprised on their wedding day right in the middle of celebrations by the police who come to arrest them after they have killed her husband and father-in-law , after which they are sentenced to hard labor in Siberia .
> Not a very happy ending to this sordid tale .


The fuzz are such party poopers.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Well, the [frequently omitted] grand ball scene in Act V of *Les Huguenots* instantly springs to mind. Can't end it worse than that 
Can't say the ball scene is my favorite, but the ending never fails to send shivers down my spine.

Also, I wonder why no one remembered *Un ballo in maschera* yet, this is a classic example of the party went wrong 

Well, if we consider Auber's opera *Gustave III* (on the same subject), this is probably one of my favorite ballett&ball scenes!

P.S. You know what? Worst party-pooper in opera ever? Tristan und Isolde Act II!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Azol said:


> P.S. You know what? *Worst party-pooper in opera ever? Tristan und Isolde Act II!*


What kind of parties do you go to?


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> What kind of parties do you go to?


Ones in morgues? . . .

Act II of _Tristan and Isolde_ is some of the most red-blooded, lascivious, and passionate music I've ever heard in my life- only to be approximated of course by the ending of Act I of _Tristan and Isolde_.










Act I










Act II


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Don Giovanni probably regrets inviting that "stoney" looking guy he met at the cemetery to dinner, a real party crasher with bad manners......on the plus side he doesn't eat much


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## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

There's Act I of _Andrea Chenier_, where a perfectly fine gavotte at Countess What's-her-name's palace is temporarily interrupted by an uprising among the hired help.

And as I recall, _Ernani_ can claim at least two party disasters: First, at Da Silva's pre-wedding festivities where the wandering pilgrim reveals himself to be his rival Ernani, then when Da Silva returns the favor shows up at Ernani's wedding and inconveniently invokes Ernani's suicide pledge. (Three, if you count Don Carlo crashing the conspirators' gathering at the tomb of Charlemagne.)


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

Cavaradossi said:


> There's Act I of _Andrea Chenier_, where a perfectly fine gavotte at Countess What's-her-name's palace is temporarily interrupted by an uprising among the hired help.


Great one. I always feel slightly ashamed for really liking the ballet music when I know it is supposed to represent the decadent, frivolous, immoral nobility...


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Oh, I can't believe I forgot that one! That is one of the most spectacular party-wrecks! (Andrea Chenier) But I especially love how the Countess just pretends nothing has happened.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The party in Adriana Lecouvreur when she insults la Principessa.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Ballo in Maschera gets the #1 reward. What a tragic end to a festive party.


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