Most traumatic opera experience...?

I just went for Puccini's Turandot recently. It's a local Lyric Opera company production. The moment which the Persian prince was beheaded (crying out 'Turandot!' backstage with the backstage chorus 'screaming'), and his 'head' being carried out subsequently, perched on a long pole and left on the stage for 'display' together with the 'heads' of all the other people who've been beheaded, sent chills up my spine. And then, the soprano singing Liu, grabbed a soldier's sword and very dramatically 'slashed' it across her throat before collapsing during her suicide scene (the chorus 'screamed' so convincingly as well - no sarcasm intended) - was nothing less than traumatic to watch.

My first and only traumatic experience came about because it was the first opera I ever saw performed. After watching it I was prepared for just about anything opera had to offer.

I was around 17 at the time. I didn't know the story line. As with books or films or anything else, I never wanted to know story endings in advance because I want to enjoy the experience as it unfolds for the first time. My older brother was a pretty good tenor and had leads in several college productions. His school, SMU, had given him comps, it sounded like fun, so I went along.

The opera was Manon Lescaut, being performed by the Dallas Opera (back then it was called the Dallas Civic Opera).

What else can I say? I didn't expect Manon to die!

(Years later, after watching Moonstruck, I still remember Cher's line "I knew she was sick, but....")

(Also, although this really isn't important, anyone from in or around southern Louisiana will tell you that there are no deserts anywhere within hundreds of miles of New Orleans where you can get lost and stranded in to die because there's no water anywhere to drink. It's all swamp. Swamp! Water. Swamp! But I suppose, in hindsight, Puccini wasn't too concerned about factual geography.)

No conest - Richard Versalle, in a very minor role, died while playing the role of Vitek in Leoš Janáček's The Makropulos Case. He sang one line or so at the very beginning of the opera and fell off a ladder he was climbing. It took a few moments for us in the audience to realize what happened and for them to bring down the curtain and another 15 minutes to for Mr. Joe Volpe, the General Manager, to tell us what we already figured out and cancel the opera. I don't think it really hit us until we went across Broadway to Picholine and explained why we were 2 hours early for our reservation. We weren't the only opera goers sitting there in disbelief eating an earlier than expected diner.

Well, this wasn't exactly traumatic, but it was totally unexpected - and memorable, to say the least!

It was during a performance of Mozart's "Magic Flute" - most eyes were on the colourful stage action...my attention, however, was fixed disbelievingly on the white curtain at the back. There - perfectly silhouetted - were two back-stage folk engaged in frenzied carnal activities, no doubt blissfully unaware of how visible their explicit performance actually was!

Needless to say, the term "Magic Flute" now has a whole new meaning for me ;o)

Hafwen x

Loved the "sound effect" of the guillotine's effectuating their, the sister's, be-headings: chilling.

You have to hand it to the French: they seldom do anything half-way: their Revolution, must have been the bloodiest in history.

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My most traumatic experiences(traumatic, may be too strong a word):

"Lohengrin" - San Francisco Opera: the conductor and orchestra mangled the 3rd Act prelude - really "blew it". Unbelievable: it ruined the whole performance for me; I was so angry, could have choked all of them.

"Die Walkure" - again, the S.F.O.: final scene, the "Magic Fire" - represented by painfully obvious, colored strips of paper, being blown upward by unenergetic fans: almost wanted to cry, was so disappointed.

"Salome" - the S.F.O.(surprise, surprise) - the set for this one act opera, was comprised almost solely of one item: the cistern's mouth in which John the Baptist(Jokannan)was imprisoned.

It was comprised of a series of descending step, levels which was to be expected; but not that it took up 75-80% of the entire stage: couldn't believe it - visually, your eyes were constantly scanning it, and you, I, was perpetually "looking for the singers: "where are they?"".

Alberich

very own adventure. My bf's brother grow to be 23 years previous and his gf and him were relationship for 3 years. She went over to his pals residing house one night and issues have been given out of hand... Later one in all his pals approached him and instructed him what he found out and confronted his gf. She admitted to all of it and he left the home in a rage. He did not come decrease back residing house for a pair of week, i assume he mandatory area and all that night at the same time as the girl and his 2 room friends have been at paintings he have been given a bottle of snoozing pills and liquore and killed himself... He texted somebody good in the previous he did it and pronounced i can't stay without her yet i can't stay along with her understanding what she did- so I have not got any selection... That grow to be it some hours later his pals discovered him.

My mother took me to see an opera when I was around 5 yrs old and I got lost in the crowd of pantlegs and gowns at intermission - it was terrifying. Haven't been back to the opera yet. lol

A Pinza concert when I was in 7th grade. And, meeting him afterwards.

well my son played in an opera, and he continued to play mambo number 5 when he was supposed to have been playing some mozart piece. after, he was sick on the conductors head.

lolrofllmfaolmao

Wagner's existence. :-P