A Night to Remember

 

When we found we could get tickets for Aida, we didn't hesitate to buy them. To see a great opera in the Roman arena at Verona, one of the world's premier opera venues, was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. Aida is a spectacular opera, and the sets at this production were by film director and designer Franco Zeffirelli. We spotted a large number of the set pieces outside the arena. 

We sat in the "cheap seats" on the stone steps, so we had to get there early to secure a good view. (People in reserved seats are asked to dress elegantly, but the hoi-polloi can dress casually.)

We rented cushions, which helped, because we arrived about an hour before the opera began at about 7:45 p.m., and the opera, with two intermissions, didn't get over until about midnight. 

The time passed quickly. We were entranced with the performance and the venue. How often do you get to sit in an arena that is nearly 2,000 years old to see an event? It was fun to think back on all the people who have sat in the same place over the years to view some sort of entertainment. 

My reverie was disturbed when a Canadian woman sitting behind me just had to point out that first Roman spectators would have been watching gladiator fights. I didn't want to be reminded of  that! (Also, strange it was a Canadian. They are usually so polite!) We were impressed with the acoustics (one reason the Verona arena is so popular for opera), but our northern neighbor was critical because the arena fails to match the acoustics of ancient Greek theaters. We have been to the Greek theaters and have witnessed the remarkable acoustics, but don't you have to appreciate every sight for what it uniquely offers?

I lost the program that identified the principal singers on the night we went. But most people go to see Aida not for the music alone, but because it is such a spectacle, with an enormous cast and eye-popping sets. (In the past, directors have brought horses and elephants on stage.) Fortunately, the animals were spared from this staging.

In Verona each performance traditionally begins by having the spectators light a candle, and the candles are furnished free of charge. However, because fewer people smoke these days, we were not able to find a light! No one around us had a lighter or match.

I imagine if you are a serious opera buff, Verona might be a bit trying, because although the audience is asked not to take photos during the performance, flashes are going off almost every moment. Kevin refrained, but finally, he had to take a least one photo of the live event. The shot wasn’t of the most dazzling stagecraft, but he felt he had violated the rules enough for one night. Ah well, what would you expect of the people in the cheap seats?

Aida is not our favorite opera, but we felt the experience in Verona was well worth our 40 euros (20 euros per seat, or not quite $23). Even without the elephants, it was a night to remember.