SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON is a classic!!!

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 5/1/11 at 11:40pm

Am I the only one who saw it? I thought for sure there'd be a thread already... oh well... I know it got panned by the times... but I wanted to share my thoughts...

LOVED IT!!!! Riveting theatre that had me on the edge of my seat... What a wonderful piece of music AND theatre... It had catchy melodies that soared through the house... rich and gorgeous like Verdi... but scored with a jazzy modern feel like Bernstein... there were 4 arias that will certainly become standards in the opera rep and a duet that was out of this world EAR CANDY.... hope this opera becomes a standard in the new rep... and hope they do a cast album...

In case you have no idea what it's about... it's a chilling piece about a psychic who talks to her dead son... her son tells her to kidnap a little girl... and kill her... I won't tell you how it ends... but it's a nail biter...

I think this may be one of those instances where the reviews were totally wrong.... think Porgy and Bess.... with this opera I think Schwartz has cemented himself in the history of vocal music...

Watch out for the songs: LIE, Wondrous Things, You don't know her like I knew her.... the later two could probably be done as pop standards (a la Porgy and Bess)

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 5/1/11 at 11:44pm

I think this guy's review is more in line with reality....

http://theater.about.com/od/musicals/fr/Review-Stephen-Schwartz-Seance-On-A-Wet-Afternoon.htm

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/1/11 at 11:50pm

A number of the now standard, and most popular, pieces of the operatic repertoire, including Carmen, were also panned and thought to be failures when they premiered. I'm looking forward to checking this out.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/2/11 at 12:05am

Oh, please! LA BOHEME, MADAMA BUTTERFLY, LA TRAVIATA, LE NOZZE di FIGARO all received drubbings at the first performances! I'm sorry I missed this, but the performances were during Holy Week.

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 5/2/11 at 12:10am

well... the Times criticisms of the piece don't even make sense... they said it was too much like a musical... too catchy... not adventurous enough.... I thought it told the story in a thrilling way.... developed the characters wonderfully through their arias and scenes... and I have to say... as someone who goes to the opera regularly ... I didn't see ANYONE leave at intermission... that NEVER happens... I'm always able to bump up my ticket to something close by when someone leaves at intermission... but no one left....... because everyone wanted to know what was going to happen....

FANTASTIC JOB MR. SCHWARTZ!!!!

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 5/2/11 at 12:24am

I thought it was fine. It has some nice songs, but the score as a whole was kind of inconsistent.