A night at the Opera.
The Dynamic Duo are on tour again. No, not Batman and Robin, but me and the Maestro. We are performing again tonight and the local community centre is the venue. As I type, the audience are taking their seats. (The seats that I put out myself). They are reading through the play list. Surprisingly, it's in Italian. I really need to learn Italian. One of these days...
But it's OK, I'm saved, just in the nick of time, the interpreter has arrived.
The anticipation is building.
At last the audience are signed in and seated, and we can begin. As usual he, the Maestro, starts with a quote. Well, tonight it's not a quote as such, but a definition of the word Opera:
Opera: "A dramatic work in which the whole of the text is sung with instrumental accompaniment"
That sounds like a definition of me singing along to my iPod whilst washing the dishes. Washing the dishes in my house is always such dramatic work!
And a bit of trivia to go with the definition? Well the First opera house was opened in 1637 in Venice. Sure where else?!
And again as usual, we start like any good Opera, with an Overture. The one chosen tonight is by a composer with an unpronounceable name. Dad had a try at reading it out. Everybody had a try at pronouncing it. Go on, you try. Schneitzhoeffer! Well? Having trouble? Yes, that's what I thought...
Glancing over the the play list tonight, I see that it is dominated by men. Somebody called Jose Bros makes a couple of appearances. He's not bad, for an Italian. But, I prefer the female singers, and reading down the play list I see the Diva herself, Maria Callas, is making an appearance towards the end. Keeping the good stuff till last? That keeps the audience interested. Although in fairness they all do seem interested. Well when I say interested, I mean they are all still awake! Anyway I better get the water glasses cleared away before Ms Callas sings, as some of the notes she hits are so high she is likely to shatter them.
A trivia quiz before the tea break got everybody chatting. Where was the first place Pavarotti sang outside Italy?
Do you know the answer? No? I didn't either, but I do now...
I'm learning lots tonight. I learned that the Italians had to translate their Operas into French if they wanted them played in Paris. Those pesky French, always wanting things their own way.
I'm also learning some new tunes as all the music tonight is new to me, there is nothing I recognise. Sometimes I recognise the track when I hear it but don't know it by name, but not so tonight. Not to worry, I'm always happy to listen to new music. There is a track called The Blasphemy Aria. I like the sound of that one, and shock of shocks, it's sung in English, by a woman! I might learn it. It would be a good one for the Karaoke on Saturday Night.
A lot of audience interaction tonight. That means it's going well, doesn't it? (It also means they're awake and paying attention!).
All too soon the fat lady sings! Well it was actually Jose Bros (again) accompanied by a couple of other singers who closed the show with a tune from my old friend Mr. Bellini, entitled 'I yield to a horrible fate'.
And speaking of Bellini's, I think I've earned one. A good Italian way to finish! Let's hope it's not a horrible fate for my head in the morning!!
Haha good one
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