Tonight I joined Bob and went into the city and saw the San Francisco Opera’s production of the brand new Antony and Cleopatra, based on Shakespeare’s play. This opera, which had its world premiere earlier this month, was written by notable local composer John Adams. It has been a long long time since I’ve seen an opera, and I don’t think I’ve ever before seen a modern one or one in English. We drove in and prior to the show we had dinner at Max’s Opera Cafe, and then went and listened to the pre-performance talk.
By and large, it was enjoyable. The music wasn’t as melodic as some of the more classical operas I have enjoyed, but it also wasn’t as weird as some modern orchestral pieces. The singing was terrific and the staging and production were quite interesting. I caught a few of the Shakespearean lines, but it wasn’t like seeing a theatrical play. I’m glad I saw it, but I’m not sure it’s converted me over to an opera fanatic. Sadly, this will be my last taste of live Shakespeare for the year.