Rossini: La Donna Del Lago

The bel canto-era composer Gioachino Rossini:
portrait painted circa 1815
by Vincenzo Camuccini.

I had been up since 3 am so I didn't have much hope of staying awake for the whole performance of Rossini's La Donna Del Lago.  But I thought that even hearing a few seconds of the opera would be worth it, so I took along my lap blanket, a warm jacket and settled myself into a seat at the theatre.  Getting myself tucked into my seat and nice and warm, worked.  A few strains of the overture and the next thing I knew, people were standing up for the intermission break.

But the rest made the second act wonderous for me.  I had listened to the utube presentation of the last scene in the opera -- and the tantalizing intermission interview with Juan Diego Flofez, hinting of the brilliance in his aria that brings in this act -- those two things kept me awake.

The work I put into listening to the last song paid off that day.  I knew the tune and could watch for the bel canto singing.

I came away adoring Rossini -- at least his work in the second half of La Donna Del Lago.

I asked Rebecca if she had seen the opera or taken Duncan  She said no,  they didn't go.  She has a new planner -- the planner from hell.  She likes to do her planning on paper and she found a book that lets her do all -- plan on a calendar and have notes on the side. -- and all of this in a real book  What has happened is that she gets everything into that planner and now she can see she doesn't have time for the opera.

I think life is better without such a planner.

Arta