13 May 2010

Carmen


As I walked down Via Zamboni in the student quarter on my way to see Carmen, the opera I have been waiting for since the tenth grade, I saw the usual groups of shabby 20-somethings with beer bottles in hands, spray-painting protest signs, blasting music with something or other to do with fighting social oppression.

Ah, Italy. Always in a fuss about something.

Then at the door to the theatre, several blocks down, I found out that the fuss in question was in fact my opera. The smartly dressed porter at the door apologised to Bianca and to me, explaining rather sheepishly that all the opera workers were striking, and would we like to see a stand-in chamber music group instead?

It didn't matter that we had booked tickets three months in advance. It was just flat-out cancelled, and there was nothing else to be done.

I'm so disappointed. My opera.

It isn't fair to shout at Italy or even the strikers, I suppose. You have to take the good with the bad, and I have had some really amazing goods (including Tuscany tomorrow and the next day, courtesy of the BCSP program).

I just wish I'd picked another night...