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We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five Student Correspondents.  Today, Alex Park discusses his experience at Candide.  Here's a short excerpt:

 

"Last Tuesday night was the opening of New York City Opera's Candide, the final work for this spring season.  And what a way to finish the year!  If you are within 100 miles of the State Theater, there is absolutely no reason you can't come down and see this marvelous, historic, trend-setting production.  Also -- New York City Opera's "Opera for All" program is offering $25 orchestra level seats!  Seriously now, if you come to Candide because of my gushing response and find yourself truly disappointed, then contact me and we'll do a depression screening on you.  If everything checks out and you still have heavy-duty problems with spending 25 bucks to see theater so thrilling and polished, then I'll convince New York City Opera to give you a refund.  Except to prove your dissatisfaction, you're going to have to sit through another performance with me next to you.  And if you smile just once during the performance, bet's off!  It's impossible to watch this production without grinning like a goon."

 

"I walked into school on Monday morning, the morning after I saw New York City Opera's production of Candide, and was greeted by a few of friends who asked how I had liked Candide.  I could not think of a response.  I stared at them, completely mute, for a good minute until one of them repeated, 'Sonia... how was Candide?'

 

'How was Candide?' I asked, 'HOW was CANDIDE?  It was Voltaire's genius plus Bernstein's genius plus New York City Opera's production genius.  It was geniusly genius!'

 

'Right...' they all said, backing away slowly. 'Geniusly genius...'"

 

We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five Student Correspondents.  Today, Daniel Jones discusses his experience at the opening night performance of Candide.  Here's a short excerpt:

 

"When I entered the theater, I was overcome with immense anticipation.  What would the set look like, since the show is already so appealing by itself?  The set, as it turned out, succeeded in engaging the audience even more.  In this production of Candide, the story is presented as if by a troupe of traveling actors on a pageant wagon.  The effect is very welcoming; the production fully embraces the fact that we are all sitting in a darkened room to watch a story.  In fact, the cast walks through the audience at many times during the performance!"

 

 

"Recently, I sat down with Katherine Benfer and Beth Pensiero, two of City Opera's chorus members.  It was incredibly fun chatting with these two longtime choristers who love their job and had some great things to say.  And they were very gracious with a novice interviewer!  Afterwards, they gave me a backstage tour and took me around the State Theater.  I snapped a few shots as we ran around before they got ready for Tosca..."

 

We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five Student Correspondents.  Today, Emil Narciso discusses his trip to the City Opera thrift shop and his excitement about going to see Candide.  Here's a short excerpt:

 

"After seeing the ad for the New York City Opera Thrift Shop numerous times in the opera playbills, I finally decided to stop by and check out their merchandise.  The City Opera's thrift shop, located at 222 E. 23rd Street, offers (but is not limited to) the usual variety of secondhand men's and women's clothing.  Prices were reasonable and reflected the quality fo the garments, many of which were from high-end designers."

 

We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five Student Correspondents.  Today, Alex Park discusses Madama Butterfly and why he loves City Opera debut artist Yunah Lee.  Here's a short excerpt:

 

"Thankfully, New York City Opera's production on Wednesday proved to me that you have to keep going to live performances despite old prejudices.  Every once in a great while, you'll see something on stage that is simply electrifying and makes you fall in love with the theater all over again.  I imagine it's a lot like being a physician -- one takes care of a lot of mundane disorders and ailments, but every so often, something truly life-threatening comes in and you discover once again what a privilege it is to take care of patients and their families in such times..."

 

We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five Student Correspondents.  Today, Frances Dewey posts about Madama Butterfly and her experience discussing the opera with other patrons attending the performance.  Here's a short excerpt:

 

"Number one most-performed opera in the US?  Madama Butterfly.  If this trend keeps up, and the folks at New York City Opera's current production are any indication, Madama Butterfly will continue to bring in new opera aficionados for years to come.  On the 'New to Opera?' section of their website, City Opera recommends Madama Butterfly for first-timers at the opera house.  I decided to make finding opera newbies a goal that evening, to see how they reacted to Puccini's masterpiece, and to opera in general..."

 

We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five Student Correspondents.  Today, Daniel Jones discusses Verdi, the origins of Falstaff, and how he felt about the 2008 City Opera production.  Here's a short excerpt: 

 

Story has it Verdi himself was sitting in the orchestra pit on the night of the premiere performance of Un Giorno, and he heard the audience's negative reaction. (Yikes!) To save himself any further embarrassment (at eighty, no less), his writing of Falstaff was a confidential matter. The opera went on to be a solid success, proving that the master of the tragic opera could, in fact, lighten up..."

 

We have created a second blog which features daily reports from our five spring 2008 Student Correspondents.  Today's entry features Frances Dewey talking about her experience at a performance of Falstaff.  Please click HERE to see Frances' entry. 

 

For tickets to Falstaff, which plays two more performances ONLY -- tonight at 7:30pm and Saturday at 8pm -- please click HERE. 

 

For information on student tickets, please click HERE.