July 20,2008
Our first week here we were delighted to learn that every July and August there is opera in Verona. Yes, the Verona of Romeo and Juliet fame. The opera is performed in an outdoor amphitheatre built by the Romans in the first century CE no less and the travel agency we walked by had tickets that included the bus ride. So it was a no -brainer (or if I had some culture, I’d say “imperative”) that we attend. We tried to get tickets for when Siegy was visiting but the performances were sold out for the evenings of the group tour. Alas, she, like you, will have to live it vicariously.
Verona is about 3 hours away by bus- we left at 4pm for our 9:15 performance of “Carmen.” (As our friend Ken pointed out, we would be in Italy watching an opera set in Spain written by a French composer). But we knew the fabulous Italian setting we would watch it in could only heighten the magic of the experience. We had seats on the ancient stone steps so we knew it was important to buy a cushion from the cushion vendors outside the amphitheatre before climbing up to our seats. It was already crowded with people so we had to squish in front of an old German couple who were not at all happy with us (if I am to use the number of kicks on our butts during the performance as my indicator). There was a very nice couple, though, from Northern Ireland in front of us whom we spoke with before and during all four intermissions.
The setting as well as the set was indeed spectacular. It was a clear sky with a full moon and our new Irish friend pointed out Jupiter low in the sky as well. The set as I hope you can make out from the pictures was perfect for the space and 4 intermissions, understandably, were required to add to it, hammering and all. This amazingly old place has perfect acoustics so no microphones are needed by the singers. From time to time I wished they had mikes but I’m sure if we had been in the more expensive seats down below the sound would have been perfect. But I believe our view and general ambiance more than made up for those very few times. The music of course is wonderful and the singers-especially the two female leads -were incredible. There were times when you could have heard a pin drop in the place-and this from folks, many of whom had their knees up to their chests, who had been sitting on the hard granite for hours. The performance didn’t end until almost 1 am!
We met up with our group of about 50 (minus one it was to turn out) outside the theatre and headed to the bus parked a few blocks away. Our tour guide, Denise, had taken attendance and counted heads on the bus a couple of times but still there’s always one who turns up missing despite anyone’s best efforts- or counts. Fortunately we had only gone about a half mile when Denise got a call on her cell with a woman’s frantic voice on the other end saying, I imagine, I’m here, where are you all?? And fortunately again, she was Italian (everyone was but us) and had her telfonino with her. We all were happy that we hadn’t gotten too far without her and Denise took off to find her (along with some other guy who may have accompanied the folks from Genoa- they who had even further to go than us). We waited and waited and by now it was 2 am. A few folks got off the bus and then a few more. They were having a great old time outside the bus, smoking and laughing, while I was inside seething. I knew it would be hours before we’d get home and why were they enjoying themselves, damn it?! More time passed and Rachel told me to chill. I already had because I was watching the folks outside pantomiming and laughing along with the bus driver about what was now 3 lost companions. Finally after almost 45 minutes more, I see the folks on the sidewalk all looking down the street, trying their hardest to pretend that all their discussion hadn’t been about the poor lost soul. They all got back on the bus and everyone was very quiet, nodding in sympathy when the poor woman got on the bus, full of apologies. A few minutes later someone started laughing, and then another person started, until the bus was full of talking and laughter- not laughing at her- but with the relief you feel when a difficult public situation isn’t your fault- or at least not this time…
At 6 am we finally arrived home, our first all-nighter in a zillion years- and it wasn’t to study for an exam- but for a real CULTURAL experience. La da dee da da, la dee da dee da…
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