Silly Little Country

Wiener Blut

Our long month of the shows (one last night, one next weekend, two each of the following weekends) began last night as we attended the Toronto Operetta Theatre's Wiener Blut.
This operetta, written largely to music of Johann Strauss II after his death, is certainly no Die Fledermaus, but it is pretty hard to listen to two hours of Strauss without having the spirit lifted pretty significantly.
The plot of the operetta was inane, but the singing was a pleasure to hear, and the enthusiasm of the cast was a nice addition to the sheer exuberance of the music. Sean Watson really stood out for me, with wonderful diction, a fine baritone voice, and acting that carried the humour of his role in the plot nicely.
After a long period during which Gilbert and Sullivan wrote the only operettas I watched, my in-laws started exposing me a few years ago to the outdoor shows in Moerbisch, high quality productions, and a thorough treat despite the accompaniment of mosquitoes. One of the albums I played constantly as a teenager was a Met production of the Fledermaus with Rise Stevens and Anna Moffo, so my tastes had been developed to make me receptive to this style of art. I have yet to see the Fledermaus live; that is now a goal near the top of the list.
One nice side effect of going to this performance was exposure to the Jane Mallett Theatre for the first time in my 20 years in Toronto. Shame on me. We sat right above the orchestra, which was quite pleasant, and interesting; it is amazing what a lush sound 15 instruments can make.
My new vision contributed to the experience as well; all through my life, full of theatre-going, the actors on stage have always seemed a little fuzzy. One result of my surgery seems to be that I now see them clearly in ways I cannot recall. I should have had this done at birth!
All in all, this rigorous schedule is off to a good start.

posted by Alan Adamson @ 10:39 AM