Profile for Simon4

I have the choice of sitting in Row K or Row F, both in the center of the row -- which would you recommend?

Tickets are on sale through January 2016. Do we know how long O'Hara and Watanabe are currently committed for? Sorry if this has been answered already (long thread!).

I'm looking at the 2D seating chart because I don't have the latest Silverlight installed ... but it doesn't look like you can select your seat like on Ticketmaster? I get a couple options (and you can ask for more options, like on the old Telecharge site), but I don't see all the available seats. And it's annoying that I get fewer/worse options when buying 1 ticket rather than 2, like on the old site (not a problem on Ticketmaster).

I'm going on Saturday night. Looks like some house seats opened up -- there are about ten tickets available now for tonight.

At today's matinee, there was incessant chatter during the overture, cell phones were going off, and people were eating food throughout the performance--including unwrapping noisy packages of food during the most inopportune moments. Oh, wait, I misread the thread title. This was at the matinee performance of Khovanshchina at the Met. Truly one of the worst audiences I've ever experienced.

What were the sightlines like from your respective seats?

Do you need to be a NY resident to get an access card?

Yes, very much worth buying. The DVD is of the excellent Glyndebourne production, not the later West End version.

Negative from Martin Bernheimer, the Financial Times' opera critic: "George Gershwin’s creation bears little resemblance to the showbizzy diminution concocted here ... "It makes barbaric cuts, reducing the daring sprawl to just two and a half hours. It takes arrogant liberties with the music, adding and subtracting at will. It alters characters and relationships, reshapes the plot. It replaces a symphonic orchestra with a sleazy pit-band, compounding the insult with slurpy arrangements..." "I...

Zambello's production of Show Boat will also reportedly be presented by the Washington National Opera in the 2012-2013 season.

You know what, I take back some of my earlier comments. Reading Jim Goldman's original libretto could be a help, as it'll give you a richer understanding of the characters. If you've made the effort to learn the show from a recording and the libretto, then, yes, Chapin's book will be rewarding. But it's less useful without any prior knowledge of the show. I'd still make as my first priority the lyrics. Ideally, you'll see the show twice. First time with minimal preparation, second time obsess...

I'd leave Chapin's book until after you've seen the show once. It won't mean as much without having seen it. I would, however, familiarize yourself with the songs. I'd actually highly recommend reading the chapter on FOLLIES from Sondheim's Finishing the Hat. An acquaintance with the intricacies of the lyrics is probably the best preparation for seeing the show. You don't, however, need to read the book or listen to the scenes on the new cast recording.

Bump. Has anyone seen this yet?

PJ, didn't say I approved! Thoughts on Feingold's review?

Clive Barnes has said that falling asleep during a performance is a perfectly legitimate critical response.

Feingold: http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-09-14/theater/the-revival-of-sondheim-s-follies-dances-with-ghosts/

Brantley: http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/theater/reviews/follies-on-broadway-review.html

This doesn't necessarily mean Isherwood will be reviewing. I'm sure the Times can get both of their reviewers into a show if they want to see it. The critics, as a rule, didn't applaud. But from what little I overheard, Teachout will be a rave (but we knew that already from his earlier review), and LeSourd loved Maxwell (but who doesn't?).

On Friday night, I was flanked in my row by John Simon and Peter Marks. Also recognized: Teachout, Isherwood, Vincentelli, LeSourd, and, I think, David Rooney. I'm sure there were many others.

This video has been around on YouTube for a while