# I'm going to the opera!



## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

I couldn't find a thread devoted to this sort of thing, and I am pleased enough that I thought I would make a new one just to express my pleased-ness!

I'm going to see _*Eugene Onegin*_ at Covent Garden next Wednesday! This will be the first time I have ever seen an opera staged live. I have fallen in love with this opera since watching it on dvd only recently - now I am very excited to be going to see it live!

Thanks go to *moody* who pointed out to me that the Royal Opera House were doing it :tiphat:


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Good luck! Bring a pillow


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Ravndal said:


> Bring a pillow


Pillow?


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Ramako said:


> Pillow?


Much more comfortable when you fall asleep.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Ravndal said:


> Good luck! Bring a pillow


That's a blasphemy!


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Of course I'm only kidding. I have not (yet) fallen asleep during a Opera. 

Eugene Onegin is a Tchaikovsky opera, yes?


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Ravndal said:


> Eugene Onegin is a Tchaikovsky opera, yes?


It is, yes!


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## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

First live opera certainly merits its own thread, and Eugene Onegin at Covent Garden with Simon Keenlyside should be a memorable one. Enjoy! Hopefully there will be many more to come.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Oh I am so envious, Not only Keenlyside, but Pavol Breslik (my favourite Lensky) and Krassimira Stoyanova. 

Enjoy and report back!


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Hello Ramako! I've just spent the last hour rifling through my drawers (if you'll pardon the expression!...) looking for the programme that I bought on my very first visit to the Opera. And I've thankfully managed to locate it. The performance was on the 19th February 1972 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden....43 years ago! Good grief, I can hardly believe it was so very long ago... yet I remember it so well, as I found the whole experience such a tremendous thrill...the fabulous auditorium, the sense of occasion...and of course, a performance 'live' of my most favourite opera of the moment....Eugene Onegin! With Ileana Cotrubas as Tatiana, the singing was excellent/heartfelt as she put her very soul into the performance and unlike several Tatiana's at that particular time..where it was acceptable and quite usual to have the role sung by 'mature' singers, was thoroughly believable in the role of an impressionable, idealistic, trusting, passionate young woman.
I'm sure that you are going to have a great time and I will certainly be thinking of you...and trusting that that will be so. Perhaps you will be so good as to report back in full?!
Julie.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Ramako said:


> I couldn't find a thread devoted to this sort of thing, and I am pleased enough that I thought I would make a new one just to express my pleased-ness!
> 
> I'm going to see _*Eugene Onegin*_ at Covent Garden next Wednesday! This will be the first time I have ever seen an opera staged live. I have fallen in love with this opera since watching it on dvd only recently - now I am very excited to be going to see it live!
> 
> Thanks go to *moody* who pointed out to me that the Royal Opera House were doing it :tiphat:


Yay! I hope you have fun! I'm going on that Wednesday as well.

Onegin is such a gorgeous piece.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

JCarmel said:


> Hello Ramako! I've just spent the last hour rifling through my drawers (if you'll pardon the expression!...) looking for the programme that I bought on my very first visit to the Opera. And I've thankfully managed to locate it. The performance was on the 19th February 1972 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden....43 years ago! Good grief, I can hardly believe it was so very long ago... yet I remember it so well, as I found the whole experience such a tremendous thrill...the fabulous auditorium, the sense of occasion...and of course, a performance 'live' of my most favourite opera of the moment....Eugene Onegin! With Ileana Cotrubas as Tatiana, the singing was excellent/heartfelt as she put her very soul into the performance and unlike several Tatiana's at that particular time..where it was acceptable and quite usual to have the role sung by 'mature' singers, was thoroughly believable in the role of an impressionable, idealistic, trusting, passionate young woman.
> I'm sure that you are going to have a great time and I will certainly be thinking of you...and trusting that that will be so. Perhaps you will be so good as to report back in full?!
> Julie.


Wow, it is incredible that it is even the same opera!

I certainly will come back with my impressions next week.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

ha, sweet! have you seen the Guardian - ROH thing in January when they went backstage for an entire day? they also showed Keenlyside and Stoyanova repeating for Onegin  I loved seeing them at work like that.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Ravndal said:


> Much more comfortable when you fall asleep.


Don't listen to him ,he wishes he were going.
You will have an amazing time ,it's a great opera with wonderful music---let us know how you enjoyed it.

He says he was only joking---I should jolly well think so !


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Ramako said:


> I couldn't find a thread devoted to this sort of thing, and I am pleased enough that I thought I would make a new one just to express my pleased-ness!
> 
> I'm going to see _*Eugene Onegin*_ at Covent Garden next Wednesday! This will be the first time I have ever seen an opera staged live. I have fallen in love with this opera since watching it on dvd only recently - now I am very excited to be going to see it live!
> 
> Thanks go to *moody* who pointed out to me that the Royal Opera House were doing it :tiphat:


Hope you enjoy it but in any case you'll always remember the first time


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## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Onegin is very good.
Iolanta too.

Good luck for your first time.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

JCarmel said:


> Hello Ramako! I've just spent the last hour rifling through my drawers (if you'll pardon the expression!...) looking for the programme that I bought on my very first visit to the Opera. And I've thankfully managed to locate it. The performance was on the 19th February 1972 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden....43 years ago! Good grief, I can hardly believe it was so very long ago... yet I remember it so well, as I found the whole experience such a tremendous thrill...the fabulous auditorium, the sense of occasion...and of course, a performance 'live' of my most favourite opera of the moment....Eugene Onegin! With Ileana Cotrubas as Tatiana, the singing was excellent/heartfelt as she put her very soul into the performance and unlike several Tatiana's at that particular time..where it was acceptable and quite usual to have the role sung by 'mature' singers, was thoroughly believable in the role of an impressionable, idealistic, trusting, passionate young woman.
> I'm sure that you are going to have a great time and I will certainly be thinking of you...and trusting that that will be so. Perhaps you will be so good as to report back in full?!
> Julie.


I love Cotrubas for just the reasons you describe. She is the most touching Violetta I've ever heard.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Verdi, La Traviata

Domingo, Cotrubas, Milnes, Carlos Kleiber.

Couldn't agree more, MAuer.....


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

JCarmel said:


> Hello Ramako! I've just spent the last hour rifling through my drawers (if you'll pardon the expression!...) looking for the programme that I bought on my very first visit to the Opera. And I've thankfully managed to locate it. The performance was on the 19th February 1972 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden....43 years ago! Good grief, I can hardly believe it was so very long ago... yet I remember it so well, as I found the whole experience such a tremendous thrill...the fabulous auditorium, the sense of occasion...and of course, a performance 'live' of my most favourite opera of the moment....Eugene Onegin! With Ileana Cotrubas as Tatiana, the singing was excellent/heartfelt as she put her very soul into the performance and unlike several Tatiana's at that particular time..where it was acceptable and quite usual to have the role sung by 'mature' singers, was thoroughly believable in the role of an impressionable, idealistic, trusting, passionate young woman.
> I'm sure that you are going to have a great time and I will certainly be thinking of you...and trusting that that will be so. Perhaps you will be so good as to report back in full?!
> Julie.


Nice story, and a warm memory I'm sure. 43 years ago, I wasn't even born...


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Ramako said:


> I couldn't find a thread devoted to this sort of thing, and I am pleased enough that I thought I would make a new one just to express my pleased-ness!
> 
> I'm going to see _*Eugene Onegin*_ at Covent Garden next Wednesday! This will be the first time I have ever seen an opera staged live. I have fallen in love with this opera since watching it on dvd only recently - now I am very excited to be going to see it live!
> 
> Thanks go to *moody* who pointed out to me that the Royal Opera House were doing it :tiphat:


You'll have a great time, pls let us know !


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

'Thanks a million' to the Don?!! I'm now feeling a wee bit older than I did before I clicked onto this thread!
No, only joking....you're as young as you feel (or so they say?!....)


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Dongiovanni said:


> Nice story, and a warm memory I'm sure. 43 years ago, I wasn't even born...


What happened to chivalry down your way ,JCarmel is a young lady you know !! Well you do now.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Ramako said:


> I couldn't find a thread devoted to this sort of thing, and I am pleased enough that I thought I would make a new one just to express my pleased-ness!
> 
> I'm going to see _*Eugene Onegin*_ at Covent Garden next Wednesday! This will be the first time I have ever seen an opera staged live. I have fallen in love with this opera since watching it on dvd only recently - now I am very excited to be going to see it live!
> 
> Thanks go to *moody* who pointed out to me that the Royal Opera House were doing it :tiphat:


Have a great time!


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

I think Lemeshev's rendition of Lensky's aria above is ravishing! I can't imagine Domingo doing justice to the Russian although I admit I have not heard that recording.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Well I went last night, and it was excellent!

I really enjoyed the trip, and the building was very impressive. My seat was good and I had quite a good view, although there was quite a large gentleman on my left.

I thought Krassimira Stoyanova as Tatyana was wonderful! She was definitely the star of the show for me although Simon Keenlyside was good as Onegin too. I was worried at first that Pavol Breslik as Lensky seemed to have quite a weak voice, but he managed to pull his aria off well enough anyway, despite a chorus of coughs from the audience and two extremely loud sneezes from a lady two spaces down from me! In terms of the staging, they had a 'young Tatyana' and 'young Onegin' who would occasionally dance around (without singing), which was a bit weird, but mostly the costumes and staging seemed alright to me. My favourite bits were definitely the letter scene and the duet at the end.

I had a great time, and thank you all for your good wishes! :tiphat:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Krassimira Stoyanova is one of the the few sopranos I actively like, as opposed to tolerate, particularly for that kind of repertory.

Anyway so glad you enjoyed the experience.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

@Ramako
Pleased you enjoyed it. Have you any idea why Lensky dragged the branch on stage? 

One guy tweeted "Today, in honor of Lensky, I have mournfully dragged a twig every time I've been challenged to a duel"


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