Une premiere mondiale

I went seule to L'Opera Garnier tonight. I went last year with a student to an opera that was enjoyable, but not memorable. The experience of being in that place was what was memorable.

I got a ticket in the 8th row for only 15 euros because I'm younger than 28. The opera was the world premiere of Melancholy, by Georg Friedrich Haas, who is about my parents' age. It was very very dark, with the set and cast all in black and only the two lead roles wearing all white. A very dramatic staging, with extremely slow movement at the center of character and in the blocking of stage movement. The music was all dissonance, with an atonal chorus describing the action and screeching string sections. It was very intense. And amazing.

At the end, the cast came out for a raucous curtain call. The conductor came on stage, and the composer himself. It was really impressive. Even the orchestra left the pit to take a curtain call. Incredible. I'm so glad I went.

(And it was great French practice. The opera was in German, but the projected translation was in French. I was totally impressed with myself. I understood the whole thing...almost every line.)