I went to see Manitoba Opera's Transit of Venus this last night. It's in Winnipeg until Sunday I think, in case anyone is in town and looking for something a bit different.
I actually enjoy the opera and have been to three or four of them. The first time was just for something different and I found that I really liked it. It doesn't come across well on TV but in person it's a great spectacle. The symphony, ballet, a musical and a theatre performance all rolled into one. I wanted to see this one as I had a chance to meet Victor Davies a few years back. I ended up getting a comp ticket this time around, which was nice.
I'm not an opera expert so I can't tell you if it's a magnificent opera or just a good one. I certainly enjoyed it. Fine performances but a much smaller cast than in other productions I have seen. Four main characters and usually only two or three on stage at the same time. The chorus comes into play only a few times. The score was lovely and the storyline was interesting and I found kept my interest all the way through. The set was simple but absolutely beautiful.
One odd thing - it was in English. That was a little freaky. I've been to three others in other languages and I am not sure if I like opera in English. Though it's set in the 1700's it used modern language so hearing a tenor belt out " I was sick for months - flat on my back" seemed like it would have been better in some other language ! Despite the fact that it was in English the TelePrompTer in the ceiling was in use so you could follow along. I found at times the score drowned out the voices. Not sure if that's because of the cheaper seats I had or what.
If you like opera or want to try it out, this is a good one to see as it's in english and it's the first ever Manitoba commissioned opera. I see that they have reduced the prices for the last couple of performances to a flat $40 for all unsold seats in the house so you won't find a better bargain.
"Still time to see Transit of Venus
To celebrate its 35th season Manitoba Opera wanted something special, so it commissioned a full-length, three-act opera, something it had never before done in its history. Transit of Venus, with music composed by former Winnipegger Victoria Davies and text by Maureen Hunter, is that something special.
The good news for local opera fans is that all remaining tickets for the performances on Tuesday, November 27 and Friday, November 30 have been price-reduced to $40, including the best seats in the house. Depending on where you sit, this could be as much as a $50 savings.
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