My Adventures in Italy: Opera Night!

Today, August 22nd, is Mr. B's b-day! Happy b-day, sweetie! Many, many, many more!

A recent (and one I love) picture of my Mr. B

Tonight, we're headed to our favorite local restaurant, Magnolia Grill, to celebrate. Can't wait!

But, on this night five years ago, as Mr. B was here in NC turning the age he'd be when I met him 7 months later, I was headed off to an opera, "Carmen", at the Arena di Verona. Following is an account of that experience.

Mrs. B

22 August 2003, 8:45a – Caffe al Teatro
Here at one of my favorite spots. Not sure why, perhaps because it’s where I met Eva who was so kind to me. The cappuccino is more expensive here (no school discount) but I’ve found it a hassle to use the discount card.

I’m still lost half the time in class! Laura (the teacher I had for the first two weeks of class) is very good and nice; her methods of instruction fun/entertaining but I feel like a dope. I think now that it will take years and years and years of study to get this language down. I know the more I speak it, the better my confidence will be.

Had dinner alone at an osteria near to my flat. This is a place one of the teachers (fast talking Andrea) recommended. It was a quaint place; sort of reminded me of where Pam and I went the first night we were in Firenze. I didn’t get exactly what I wanted but only because I didn’t take my time and I was afraid of sounding like a dolt (this is a death knoll!)

Then I got caught in the rain! Yes, it poured! Note to self. Don’t forgo the umbrella when packing! Now I have to buy one here. It was a cool rain, lots of lightening. It made for a nice night of sleeping, much cooler in my room (I did find a fan at PAM (supermarket) but couldn’t figure out how much it was and not sure I need it now, maybe the worst of the heat is over).

Later – My Apartment
School was good today. Felt as if I started to “get it”. Am going to the opera tonight; “Carmen”, with Ernst and Irene. Now it’s time to nap as the opera goes until midnight at least…

This is the fun part (if only there were a romance to also look forward to; not the case with Ernst; nice Austrian guy, very friendly and loves opera but…not my type.

Later – After the Opera
The opera was WONDERFUL and the experience of seeing it in the Arena di Verona; built in 30 AD, with 15-20K other people; was something not to be missed! It was SO crowded, though; we were knee to knee in the nosebleed section; seats on “the stones”. Amazing to have my ass on same seat as Romans watching gladiator fights and screaming for blood!

There were actually horses on stage; and donkeys, too! No English subtitles here but, I’ve seen “Carmen” before so I knew what was going on.

Horses and donkeys on stage!

Italy’s President (what’s his name) was there watching it, too; therefore, tons of polizia. (Turns out he really wasn’t; not sure why since he was supposed to be there.)

Poor Ernst, he definitely had the wrong idea about me. He was overly friendly; kept hugging and kissing and touching me. Annoying, as I was there only to see an opera in the Arena di Verona. I thought at first perhaps Austrians are just very demonstrative, until he put his hand over mine…and left it there. I finally lied to him and told him I was married. Not just out like that; I asked him if he had kids, he said no, he wasn’t married. A few moments later he asked me if I was married and I said yes (well, I was married, once!)

That pretty much put an end to it. Just call me Ms. Manipulative! Hell, I didn’t want to ruin the evening by causing a scene or by having to shoot him down. This way, he can believe it was only because I was married that I wasn’t returning his attentions. A good ruse. I didn’t want my opera experience ruined by avoiding him/being annoyed all night.

We sat on the stones for 4 /2 hours! No way to leave to go to il bagno. So, I didn’t drink but ½ bottle of water…

But, it was worth it. And, Irene showed up, thank God (but then Ernst put the moves on HER, something I felt a bit badly about).

As I said, the arena was built in 30AD. They started doing operas 80 odd years ago, “Aida” was the first opera shown in the Arena di Verona. There are 3 sections to sit in; the settore (sections) which are like general admission at a baseball game but no assigned seats; these are the cheapie seats (about 25,50 euros). These are the seats we sat in (or, rather, "on", since these were "the stones"). Then there are seats that are assigned which I think run between 50-90 euros or so; finally the seats on the floor (like the best seats at a rock concert!) around 120-150 euros. Basically, the whole seating arrangement is like that of a rock concert.

The arena fills up

Because we were in the cheap, we had to wait in a long line outside the entrance to our settore (if we’d gotten there earlier, we would have had “better” seats; people line up around 6:00p (the opera started at 9:00p!) to get in, get to their settore and claim the best seats).

Lines outside the arena

Outside the arena, vendors were hawking copies of the lirica for "Carmen" and cushions to blow up and sit on (this should have given me a hint, no?)

More of the outside scene

Once inside the arena, you climb up a series of steep steps (this took awhile what with the throngs of people) and finally get out into the open air. There are ushers to tell you where to sit; you tell them how many, they point out where to go and attempt to squeeze in. Squeeze in is an apt term, I felt like a sardine. This was definitely the downside to the experience (for me, anyway); no room to move or stretch, hard stone seats and no ability to get up and leave for the entire duration. The view we had of the stage was excellent meaning it was directly avanti (ahead) of us but far away. So without binocolo da teatro, very difficult to see much detail (of course you’re really there for the music so no matter). As it turned out, Ernst had binocolo da teatro with him (along with a sleeping bag to sit on) so it could have been worse.

Our great view of the stage!

Just call me spoiled but, at least WRT seats, I am used to my orchestra seats at Opera Pacific!

Good Things
The production was wonderful. Music, of course, exhilarating. Costumes, scenes, props (live animals!); the voices, all excellent. Amazing how easy it was to hear, considering how far away we were.

The crowd. I was impressed that so many people were there. Italians are obviously cultured and it’s great the opera is affordable. Also, very well-behaved; quiet, no fracas. Amazing considering how close everyone was sitting. Vendors running around selling drinks, food. Poor guys, it looked like a difficult job hauling their boxes/ice chests stepping through the throngs of people sitting everywhere. “Coca, Fanta, Birra, Bibito!”

The crowd

Very interesting to see the tradition here and how different they are from opera back home. Definitely in place to entertain the crowds that were stuck in place during the LONG intermissions (20-40 minutes; three of them). No champagne for me, I got to watch the “Gong Lady”! She comes out during the intermissions 3 times and bangs a gong. The 1st time she comes out she bangs it once, the 2nd time twice, etc. The third gong means the opera is about to begin again. She makes a big show of it, running the baton outside the gong a few times before she smacks it (once ,or twice, or 3 times, depending). She’s a very popular lady by the time she comes out the 3rd time!) You also know when the act is about to end because you can see two groups of stage hands coming along each side of the stage with screens. When the act is over, they put the screens in front of the stage. From our vantage, we could see the stage hands working to change the set.

The very experience of seeing an opera in such an old historic place is something I will never forget.

Bad Things
Being pestered (and therefore distracted) by Ernst.

Not having much space.

Not being able to go to il bagno (I never had to go, TG, but it bugged me all the same).

Not being able to have anything to drink.

Feeling like a “poor person” (ok, this was really more my state of mind, no fault of the opera!)

The BORING 3rd Act of Carmen seemed even more endless than usual.