iNEENZ

A night with the Hawaii Opera Theatre

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:18:00 -0800

My interests are vast and often times I crave variety in food, environment, and especially in my interests. I'm always seeking to learn and grow, more importantly to expose my children to more than what is offered than their school curriculum. In order to accomplish this, we travel as a family, attend local cultural festivals, or just engage with various members of our global community -- in real life. One of the legacies I'd like to leave with my children is a balanced life.

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to attend the full dress rehearsal of Le Nozze di Figarro or the Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart produced by the Hawaii Opera Theatre. It was my first opera and I was honored by the invitation extended to me by HOT Director of Education and Outreach, Erik Haines. He and I share a mutual friend, Gypsy Raven whom has become my go-to friend on culture and arts.

A diligent student (these good habits began in my thirties), I read the first few acts after our family dinner as provided by the HOT website. I was intrigued, I wanted to know more (and so did the kids), but like a new movie I didn't want to know too much otherwise my complex mind might draw conclusions and guess the ending! No, I wanted this first experience to literally blow my mind.

As I settled in to my seat next to the very refreshing Traci Toguchi, the talented Daeja Fallas, and funny men Ricky Li and Marc Orbito, I felt the excitement of a child at the circus and gratitude for both Gypsy and Erik.

The lights dimmed, the orchestra played, and I was whisked into the lives of Figaro and Susana, the beautiful Countess and her controversial husband the Count; not to mention the always infatuated Cherubino and Marcellina...oh that Marcellina. I won't give away the story, but I will say that this opera is the original soap opera of daytime television, it is the Melrose Place of its time, and would be the number one reality television show on VH1! At one point during Act 3 I whispered to Traci, "So much drama, I wish they'd come clean."

While, the Marriage of Figaro has completed production, Die Walkure will be at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on February 12, 14, 16 and La Boheme on February 26, 28, and March 2.

Brief synopsis of Die Walkure:

"Although Wotan, chief of the gods, rules over giants, men and the Nibelung dwarfs by virtue of the treaties and contracts engraved on the shaft of his spear, he has himself broken one such contract — he promised to give the goddess Freia to the two giants Fasolt and Fafner as payment for building the stronghold of Valhalla, but when the work was completed he refused to part with Freia, who provides the gods with the apples of eternal youth." -- Wikipedia

and La Boheme

"According to its title page, the libretto of La bohème is based on Henri Murger's novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème, but that novel is a collection of vignettes with no unified plot. Like the 1849 play by Murger and Théodore Barrière, the opera's libretto focuses on the relationship between Rodolfo and Mimì" -- Wikipedia

In case you're wondering how on earth you will understand the story, there are subtitles to keep you informed, but truly if you read ahead of time or your program before it begins, you'll have an idea of what is going. And, even if you don't have any prep, the Director has harnessed the talent and the energy of the actors, the designers have set the stage, and the Conductor will lead everyone to stir your spirit. All that is required is for you to open your mind and allow them to take over your emotions, just till the last act. I assure you, you will be moved.

Photos from the evening by Marc Orbito and Ricky Li.

iNEENZ

A night with the Hawaii Opera Theatre

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