Continuing from a previous article, we’ve thought up new ideas to tempt you into discovering the unique and indisputable godfather of the arts…opera.
The perfect gift for Dad
Men can be, we’re sorry to say, notoriously hard to buy for, there are only so many socks, ties and Lynx deodorant a person can endure. Mozart’sThe Marriage of Figaro is the ideal opera to introduce the father figure in your life to. Dad jokes aside, this comic drama is a light-hearted foray into the world of Mozart, think Father of the Bride meets ‘Allo ‘Allo!.
The opera recounts a single ‘day of madness’, with a bit of cross dressing thrown in and a handful of mischief; you’ve got a night of unmissable silliness. Deceit and trickery reign with spouses getting offended and lots of begging for forgiveness; not wanting to enforce stereotypes but it can be cathartic to laugh at a mirror image of matrimonial bliss (or not as it turns out).
Although it doesn’t quite make it into the opera, it won’t stop you amusing your old man to let him know that the genius of Mozart (a father himself) had a love of scatological humour (toilet humour); indeed in a letter to his cousin he cheekily signed off ‘Love true true true until the grave, If I live that long and do behave.’ Which, unfortunately, he didn’t - dying at the young age of 35.
Join us for a night of ‘flirtation and frivolity.’
Perfect present for the leading lady in your life
While we might be heading into the depths of winter, give your favourite feminist a taste of sultry sunshine and transport them to steamy Central America. Exotic and wild Carmen will tame the fiercest of bullfighters as she herself warns in her infamous aria: ‘and if I love you - watch out!’
Sensuous but unrelenting our heroine will remind you how notoriously cold-hearted she is, fiercely guarding her independence until the bitter end. Whether you’re male or female (or anything in-between), there is no better gift than one of music.
You will still fall for her; even though you’ve be warned.
Perfect for the winter blues
February can be brutal, the weather is dire, Christmas is long gone and the hope of spring is far away. While others may encourage you to cheer up why not just revel in your dour mood and embrace Verdi’s Les vêpres siciliennes.
Think the vicious wedding scene from Kill Bill: Vol 1 meets Les Misérables’ bloody uprising, full of violence, dark secrets and forbidden love; what more do you want? Revenge is at the heart of this plot as our heroine Hélène seeks to punish whoever killed her brother. Opera is known for its dramatic action so if you are going to take the plunge, having never seen one before, it might as well be in at the deep end.
If your Valentine’s Day doesn’t go to plan there is a performance on 15 Feb for you to wallow in, after all, misery loves company. Although, (plot spoiler) it might just brighten your outlook despite this, as, least you haven’t been murdered on your wedding day and WNO's new production will take your breath away – in a good way.
Ultimately, tragedy is there for the catharsis; so embrace it wholeheartedly (or broken-heartedly) and enjoy.