In Italian “sparare alla Croce Rossa” (shooting on the Red Cross) is usually said when you abuse of an easy target. I won't do that with this “Rigoletto”: the opera closes “Effetto Venezia”, which is a good thing per se.
You are probably aware of the rethorical device of
apophasis (or praeteritio), which is often used to call attention to something, while remaining apparently detached from it. So you will not be surprised if I go on saying that listening to an opera in a city square amid barking dogs, shouting children and passing vehicles is pure folly. Badly amplifying the voices and the music won't amend it at all.
If our administration feels necessary to offer an opera to a few hundred of its citizens, it would be more reasonable and absolutely cheaper to bus them to some quality performance outisde Livorno. The Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago comes to mind...
See also:
Caballeria Rusticana -
Το ελιξίριο της αγάπης
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Effetto Venezia
12 comments:
VP, you make an excellent case for a better venue for opera. Your opera photos are great. You must be a fan.
These are great VP.
Nice shots! I get to go to the opera in a few weeks. Unfortunately no photos allowed.
Interesting that it was presented in that area!
Often in-town outdoor events like this are motivated by the desire to draw in people to go to restaurants and bars, visit shops, etc., and the entertainment is secondary.
Only a rock band can perform in an environment like that. Awful.
Is it like the panem et circenses of your ancient Romans?
Well, at least you got some exciting photos from this. And I got some good new vocabulary from your post.
Sparare alla Croce Rossa= tirer sur l'ambulance...
And why not just have a big tent? As you say, the idea is excellent (as are your shots).
aww I'm envious now, amazing opera and your pictures are wonderful, very professional! Thanks for sharing!
hugs
Léia
You made me laugh with the second paragraph! Wonderful shots though.
The photos are beautiful, without the text I would say they were made in a theatre.
Hello! I am one of the singers of Rigoletto in Livorno (I acted as Matteo Borsa).
While it's true that Piazza Venti Settembre was a tough location to use, some things must be said. And please do not think I'm trying to start a flame: it's just my two cents.
Effetto Venezia is one of the very few occasions in which an Opera is a constant presence. It's years since many important Operas were performed, like Traviata, Cavalleria Rusticana and Rigoletto.
That said, it's true that the location is quite awful: this is due also to the lack of urban sense of some citizens, who think themselves as great comedians in coming near the piazza and scream loudly before going away laughing while we are trying to do our best, or coming there while walking the dogs or with screaming children.
And it's also true that the audio service was really awful, I'm sorry to say.
Keep in mind though, that working on an opera while being constantly on a budget is a harsh job. And, it was bound to be in Livorno, for the Venezia district is in that city. So going somewhere else was a no-no.
Last but not least, this Rigoletto, as the other "Effetto Venezia" editions, was thought to be a low-cost operation: the tickets were sold 5€ each, and this meant that no theatre could be used for this.
We re-played it in the open of San Gimignano, having far less problems with the piazza closed to non-paying people.
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