Last night I saw one of the best performances ever. Ok I'm sure I'll see more operas like this. But still, it was awesome! I wasn't there in person though. Jesus, Jessi, and I went to Jessi's home to watch the live television broadcast of Romeo et Juliette's opening night performance. Her host family was gone for the weekend, so it worked out perfectly.
The opera starred Rolando Villazon as Romeo and a new singer to the Salzburg stage, Nino Machaidze, who is only 25 and from the Republic of Georgia. Both were stunning. The acting was amazing. Every moment they were able to embody the characters and mannerisms of youthful love. It was hott!
There were certainly a number of mistakes, some I didn't even notice (like too many notes in one of the ornaments in 'Je Veux vivre'). The best was Rolando was tripping all over the stage (it was a stage made mostly of stairs). The one were it actually was almost a huge hiccup was when one of the Montagues didn't hand Romeo the dagger soon enough. So Tybalt could technically have gotten out and not died, but they stuck to the fight choreography.
It got over at about 11:45. I was afraid that the buses stopped running at 11. When actually it runs until 1:15 AM.
I wore my dirndl to mass at the cathedral. Oh my goodness. I have never heard such beautiful music at mass before. I believe they sang parts of the mass by either Haydn or Mozart. And during the collection they sang the Laudate Dominum that YCA sang with Maria Jette this summer. It just soared in the cathedral. I didn't understand most of the readings. I was zoning out in the middle of the gospel reading, but then somehow tuned in to hear 'brot und fisch' and figured it must have been the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Good thing we've been learning food in German class. I think I'll have to go again next week, I probably will never get this kind of music at a Catholic mass in the U.S. the soloists were wonderful and there was a choir and orchestra as well.