Comments on: Boris Godunov Dress Rehearsal: San Francisco Opera http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/ Thoughts on theater in the Bay Area Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:09:26 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jolene http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-644 jolene Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:04:57 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-644 It was a great moment. :) It was a great moment. :)

]]> By: sfmike http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-643 sfmike Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:50:38 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-643 The final dress rehearsal is usually not that different from opening night except when there's a killer role and a star has decided (probably wisely) not to sing out. You actually got to see a funny dress rehearsal moment, with Sam Ramey going "to hell with it, if stage management can't bother to bring the curtain down, I'm going to get up off the floor anyway." The final dress rehearsal is usually not that different from opening night except when there’s a killer role and a star has decided (probably wisely) not to sing out. You actually got to see a funny dress rehearsal moment, with Sam Ramey going “to hell with it, if stage management can’t bother to bring the curtain down, I’m going to get up off the floor anyway.”

]]> By: jolene http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-642 jolene Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:57:50 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-642 I thought it was fascinating that there was no love story involved, and still felt like a complete opera. You put it well when it was the mix between the grand and the intimate - the sets symbolized it best with the contrast between the opulent and the minimal. But Godunov really needed to have the pull the audience into his psychological downward spiral of guilt to make us believe that it could cause his death, but I felt like he didn't achieve that. The "rising after death" was hilarious though, especially with his children still frozen in the horrified "omg he's dead" facial expression even after he scrambled to his feet. This is what I love about rehearsals! Anyways, thanks again Mike, the atmosphere was comfortably casual, and I enjoyed searching for you onstage. :) Mike, usually how different is the production from the final dress rehearsal to its opening night performance? I thought it was fascinating that there was no love story involved, and still felt like a complete opera. You put it well when it was the mix between the grand and the intimate – the sets symbolized it best with the contrast between the opulent and the minimal. But Godunov really needed to have the pull the audience into his psychological downward spiral of guilt to make us believe that it could cause his death, but I felt like he didn’t achieve that. The “rising after death” was hilarious though, especially with his children still frozen in the horrified “omg he’s dead” facial expression even after he scrambled to his feet. This is what I love about rehearsals! Anyways, thanks again Mike, the atmosphere was comfortably casual, and I enjoyed searching for you onstage. :)

Mike, usually how different is the production from the final dress rehearsal to its opening night performance?

]]> By: sfmike http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-641 sfmike Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:32:21 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-641 Oh, dear, that was your first full-length opera at the San Francisco Opera? I had no idea. It's certainly a weird one to be seeing as your "first" since there's no love story and it's the strangest mixture of the grand and the intimate. As for Samuel Ramey, I'm afraid that what you heard is what you get at this point in his career (the man is 67). I've been in productions with him as "Mefistofole" and "Don Giovanni" where he was flat-out awesome but that was close to 15 years ago. As for Madeline L'Engle, I am not a person of faith, I only play one on opera stages, but "A Wrinkle in Time" is just about my favorite book. Oh, dear, that was your first full-length opera at the San Francisco Opera? I had no idea. It’s certainly a weird one to be seeing as your “first” since there’s no love story and it’s the strangest mixture of the grand and the intimate. As for Samuel Ramey, I’m afraid that what you heard is what you get at this point in his career (the man is 67). I’ve been in productions with him as “Mefistofole” and “Don Giovanni” where he was flat-out awesome but that was close to 15 years ago.

As for Madeline L’Engle, I am not a person of faith, I only play one on opera stages, but “A Wrinkle in Time” is just about my favorite book.

]]> By: patty http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-640 patty Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:08:48 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-640 Hi again! I'm going to guess Ramey was holding back, but who knows for sure? I've never heard him live ... and I'll have to wait a bit longer. But I'll let you know what I think. I used to own nearly everything L'Engle wrote. Maybe I still do somewhere in my boxes of books. She made me think quite a bit. Sometimes I disagreed a bit with her, but I am a person of faith and I really appreciate so much of what she wrote. I used to use some of her poetry in a contemplative Christmas program I used to put together. (I dabbled in poetry, although I have never come up with anything truly good. Sigh.) I wish I could have met the woman. My mom heard her speak here years ago, but I never managed. Ah well. Here I go ... rambling as usual. I think I'd better go read a book or something, and leave you in peace! ;-) Hi again!

I’m going to guess Ramey was holding back, but who knows for sure? I’ve never heard him live … and I’ll have to wait a bit longer. But I’ll let you know what I think.

I used to own nearly everything L’Engle wrote. Maybe I still do somewhere in my boxes of books. She made me think quite a bit. Sometimes I disagreed a bit with her, but I am a person of faith and I really appreciate so much of what she wrote. I used to use some of her poetry in a contemplative Christmas program I used to put together. (I dabbled in poetry, although I have never come up with anything truly good. Sigh.)

I wish I could have met the woman. My mom heard her speak here years ago, but I never managed. Ah well.

Here I go … rambling as usual. I think I’d better go read a book or something, and leave you in peace! ;-)

]]> By: jolene http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-639 jolene Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:30:14 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-639 Hi Patty! Hm... I just don't know how much of it was because it was a dress rehearsal or if it's the opera itself... not sure if it's entirely my cup of tea. I just felt that Ramey could have given a lot more, but again, maybe he'll be worlds better on opening night. Another standout was the Andrew Bidlack as the simpleton. Ji Young Yang gave a very sweetly affecting performance as well. I was just updating my entry when you commented so hopefully you'll read the updated version. :) I actually post the "In Rotation" items myself - I love L'Engle as well! Hi Patty! Hm… I just don’t know how much of it was because it was a dress rehearsal or if it’s the opera itself… not sure if it’s entirely my cup of tea. I just felt that Ramey could have given a lot more, but again, maybe he’ll be worlds better on opening night. Another standout was the Andrew Bidlack as the simpleton. Ji Young Yang gave a very sweetly affecting performance as well.

I was just updating my entry when you commented so hopefully you’ll read the updated version. :)

I actually post the “In Rotation” items myself – I love L’Engle as well!

]]> By: patty http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-638 patty Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:25:44 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-638 PS I see "Walking on Water" on an Amazon list to the right of your blog entries. Are you reading it, or does Amazon just put those up? I really appreciated that book when I read it (eons ago). I always enjoyed L'Engle. PS I see “Walking on Water” on an Amazon list to the right of your blog entries. Are you reading it, or does Amazon just put those up? I really appreciated that book when I read it (eons ago). I always enjoyed L’Engle.

]]> By: patty http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/comment-page-1/#comment-637 patty Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:23:46 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/10/multimedia-message-7/#comment-637 Did you enjoy it? I don't know that music at all, and I'm really looking forward to the opera (Nov. 12). We first have Idomeneo, though, at the end of this month. I am really enjoying our season at the opera. :-) Did you enjoy it? I don’t know that music at all, and I’m really looking forward to the opera (Nov. 12). We first have Idomeneo, though, at the end of this month.

I am really enjoying our season at the opera. :-)

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