“Ms. Zambello’s production has plenty of 3-D-friendly texture. The opening scene includes women standing next to a trough of water, dipping their hair in and flinging it back, spraying the stage with water. A real donkey, chicken and black stallion appear. Two acrobats dance and flip across the stage. Confetti flies and ribbons wave. Cast members light cigarettes and warm themselves by real fires; others rappel down the orange-hued city walls.” [Wall Street Journal]
The Royal Opera House, which in its past season glitzed up its programming with such gimmicks as a tabloid tie-in and a mezzo-soprano strapped to a wheelchair, now looks to be getting desperate. The venerable opera company has commisioned a “Twitter Opera,” with a libretto to be gleaned from sundry tweets posted via the popular social networking service. The resultant text will then be musicked by Helen Porter.
“Current posts can be viewed at www.twitter.com/youropera.”
Cher Public