h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't commit to writing in my journal every day because. Reasons.
(as the youth say)

But I did want to write a little bit about my recent extra-curricular activities.

Since we've been married (which is very nearly 30 years now) I have tried to persuade to partake in some theatre and opera. And dancing. To no avail (although a fair few years ago he did promise to go to dancing classes with me, but that fell through because of hours)

Last year he bought me a mini-subscription to the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. This consists of 8 tickets which you can spread over the whole season as you like. We decided on 4 operas over the whole season and after the first one (Carmen) he was hooked. He really likes the whole thing and insists that we dress appropriately (lounge suit/tie for him, something spiffy for me - usually involving heels ) and we have a glass of champagne before the start and an interval champagne and small snack (which is usually some sort of antipasti).

A local Italian restaurant (a very very good one, not a pizza joint) runs the food side of things and it is really rather good. They also offer a free taxi to take you to the restaurant after the show if you book early enough in advance.

Anyway. We have seen the aforementioned Carmen, Britten's The Turn of the Screw which was spectacularly done, La Traviata and Il Nozze di Figaro which was very entertaining.

It was such a success that we have decided to do the same thing every year, and so far this season we've seen a most brilliant (really, stunning) performance of Die Zauberfloete (which looked like a silent movie - only it wasn't silent)

I don't get to the theatre much so I'm not sure how original any of these performances were, but I loved them.

And as - who is usually more likely to be seen at a Rush gig - says, good musical performance is good musical performance whatever the genre.

Next up: theatre

Ooh, I saw Carmen at the movie last year (they had filmed it at the Metropolitan Opera) and it was already quite a show.

Must be amazing to see it for real.

it really is a good opera, especially for a first timer. The production we saw had a lot of flamenco (stylee) dancing in the bar room scene which was fabulous. The singer was very very good - it is a huge role to take on, I think.