Speaking of opera

After reading my Sunday story where Erich Kunzel reflected on his 50th anniversary conducting opera, I got a call from Jack Ward, retired music teacher at New Richmond and Norwood schools.

It seems that the story reminded Jack of that horrible "Pelleas et Melisande" at CCM in 1969, staged by Dino Yannopoulos. Jack had taken three busloads of kids from New Richmond, and prepared them ahead of time about the opera they would see.

But nothing prepared them, or him, for seeing a bunch of ladders for a set.

"I pulled 150 kids out of 'Pelleas' and as we left, (CCM) management asked what was wrong. My answer: I brought 150 high school students to the Opera with sets and costumes. Instead we get ladders. I have ladders in my garage!!!! We're on our way
back to New Richmond, thank you!

"I was never so upset.....and how do you explain that to the students who
paid to see the Opera?"

So, it's not just recently that stage directors have had modern ideas...

By the way, watch for a blog review of last night's Cincinnati Opera tribute by Kunzel and the CSO at Riverbend. What a show!