Opera at the Ball Park

Last Friday Michelle and I went to watch the free Tosca broadcast at AT&T Park.

It was my first time watching a live broadcast of opera. It was my first time in a ball park. It was my first time watching live broadcast of opera in a ball park. And all of it on a large screen TV. Yes, I watched my first live broadcast of Puccini's Tosca on a large screen surrounded by advertisement posters for Playstation, Diamond Culinary Walnuts, Safeway, Budweiser, PG&E, CHW Health Services and Talk to Chuck.

I have to say, it was interesting.

Of course, the beginning introductions to the play was very entertaining as well. Leave it to the Americans to screen some particularly interesting ditties about the play, like the myth about Tosca being seen bouncing up and down several times after jumping off the fortress parapet, or the story behind a rendition of the play having untrained actors as soldiers be instructed to simply chase Tosca around and ending with them following her over the parapet as well.

The truly amusing part came when the show started and the subtitles came on.

Imagine Tosca belting out the lines:

"I knew it--that hussy!"

"He won't get any tonight--I swear it!"

and Sacristan going:

"Ah he's gone. How unfortunate. I wanted to earn an indulgence by making a heretic unhappy."

Somehow, I don't think it's particularly common for opera to have bursts of laughter come from the audience. I must say, I really enjoyed it. It was an enlightening experience--about the difference between cultures. I would go for another showing.

Unfortunately, Michelle and I got hungry from the constant food fumes wafting around us and we left after the first act to get KFC. All in all, it was a very "sophisticated" night indeed.