Isaac Sinnett

Correction…  4.4 awesome ass-numbing hours.  Last night was the night that I went to see Tristan and Isolde at the Lryic Opera here in Chicago.  I sat up in the upper balcony which leaves one with two experiences.  First, you have the experience of the opera itself and second, you have the experience that can only be afforded by sitting in the upper balcony.  Upper balcony 2 actually.

Tristan, Clifton Forbis, had been battling a severe cold all week, so the announcement went.  He asked our indulgence, so the announcer said.  Minus, what seemed to be a little projection issue from time to time, he seemed to be able to work through it without any problems audible to the audience.  Isolde, Deborah Voight, was splendid as was the rest of the cast.  The orchestra played extremely well.  It always amuses me to look into the pit and see the brass players reading.  Overall, 9 our of 10 from this panel of 1.  It was awesome!

Now for the second experience.  Where do I begin?  Just as the overture began — which is something that you certainly don’t want to miss nor listen too with other noises going on around you — a mother and daughter rush in and take their seats directly behind us.  They would be a part of the opera ambience for the entirety of the evening.  When they had first sat down they had to discuss how they just made it and the mother was describing how she needed to catch her breath.  Well, I did not need that knowledge.  Her breathing, which was louder than the soft playing of the orchestra was ample indication.  Throughout the evening the sounds of their snoring accompanied various parts of the opera.  Now for the lady that sat directly in front of me.  (Let’s first say that these seats leave me just enough room to sit with no extra room to spare.) Well, this lady seemed to be infatuated with my knees.  She twice leaned her head back as if my knees were sent from heaven to be used as a pillow for her.  When she wasn’t leaning her head against my knees she was stretching as if to get warmed up for a serious workout.  This stretching included hitting my knees with her elbows on multiple occasions.