Date Night At The Opera!
By 965koit on June 17, 2019
Saturday was date night for Kristen and I. We got a babysitter, kissed Lilly goodbye and headed to the city! We haven’t been to the Opera since last year because Kristen was in the hospital for the second half of 2018. We got into the city and had dinner at this Italian restaurant we’ve been wanting to try for a really long time. It did not disappoint! Then we grabbed an Uber and headed to the War Memorial Opera House to watch Orlando.
Orlando was unlike any other opera we had seen as far as the depth of the story. If you have never seen Orlando then the story can be a little tough to follow because you can’t tell reality from delusion. But the cast and the direction really make sure you understand the story as you go. It also helps to read the synopsis before the show which comes in the program they give you at the door. We do this for every opera because it helps us focus on the show instead of reading the words above the stage the whole time.
With my background in Orchestra (I played the Viola for 7 years in school) I have always loved the music of Handel. So when I heard that the music was by Handel I was even more excited to see it.
The cast is amazing as always and even though Orlando (Sasha Cooke) was feeling under the weather than night, you would never be able to tell if they hadn’t mentioned it before the show. The story has been updated to feel a bit more modern because it was originally written in the 1700’s. This version takes place in the 1940’s during World War II.
Here is the official description:
Trapped inside his war-torn mind in a military hospital during WWII, the pilot Orlando can’t tell reality from delusion. The trauma of war has turned his love into madness, and only through the help of his friends can he overcome the lasting effects of war. Experience this powerful and gripping story through Handel’s colorful music.
You can see San Francisco Opera’s Performance of Orlando until June 27th. Tickets at SFOPERA.com