Posted by Dianne Nicolini on June 9, 2009
Our 3rd SF Opera free simulcast at AT&T Park last Friday set a record for the number of folks attending (27K) and for just generally being the coolest event of the year. We worried about the weather leading up to Friday but it turned out perfect. No fog, just a nearly-full moon hanging over the scene with seagulls circling above the crowd. And the opera itself was magnificent. Although it was a very casual, relaxed setting for grand opera, you could hear a pin drop during Tosca’s big aria, “Vissi d’arte”. One of my favorite moments was watching David Gockley, the opera’s general director and live outdoor simulcast instigator, take in the scene from the Press Booth of AT&T Park. Let’s all do it again in September!
Some photos of the scene at AT&T Park with Hoyt Smith, my partner in crime:
One KDFC listener was so moved by Friday’s opera that she wrote a poem:
Quantum Opera
opera at a ball park
simulcast onto the score board
“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” plays
on the mighty Wurlitzer
during the seventh inning stretch
or was that intermission
space-time continuum morphs
seagulls fly across the soprano’s face
right below the Budweiser sign
and the crowd cheers
as Tosca kills the villain
beer or margarita with
your garlic fries
a woman to the left
mentions she has seen UFOs
Schrödinger rolls over
and smiles
by Sandy Vrooman
In addition to “Vissi d’arte”, i got chills from the thundering of the drum and organ (?) during the procession in the cathedral at the end of Act 1. Both were amazing and moving. I think it was one of the most perfect evenings for such a huge crowd i’ve ever been to. My thanks to SF Opera and the Giants and i cannot wait for Sept 19th!
Comment by Pat — June 10, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
We had a blast! I did not know before that so many people enjoyed opera.
Thanks to you and Hoyt, the SF Opera, and everyone else at the ballpark
for making the presentation possible. Looking forward to La Traviata in
September.
John
Comment by John — June 10, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
thanks for the great night at at&t park,it was our second time looking forward to september.I have also been listening more and more to kdfc while driving
Comment by chuck nastari — June 10, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
You are absolutely right Diana it was a wonderful night for signing. What could be better than eating a hotdog and listening to wonderful music. Maybe eating peanuts in the third act and listening to my friend’s son Zack sing. I was very proud of him.
That really is the way to approach opera. No reason to get all dressed up and sit quietly in the dark. In the stands and on the field when Tosca killed Scarpatti people cheered, when he came on stage some in my area booed. It was great!! That kind of audience interaction does not happen at the Opera House.
I honestly think this is the way to get more people interested in Opera, Classical music, etc. The theatres in the bay area have a free night and in today’s SF Chron it was reported that the majority of people who attended the free night were interested in attending live theatre again.
Are you listening SF Symphony? You need to do something similar to Opera at AT&T.
Keep up the great work Diane and some day I am going to the correct caller with the correct answer and win the lunchbox prize.
Take care
Comment by David Fickbohm — June 11, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
I wish that I could have been there, sounds wonderful. I like the poem by Sandy, it puts me right in the middle of the experience.
Comment by Ray Moseley — June 12, 2009 @ 9:29 am
The opera at AT&T was fun. One of the things we at AT&T got that the folk at the opera house did not get was the interviews you and your co-host did between acts of TOSCA. My wife, Nancy, and I found them quite interesting. Also the video tours of the costume and wig shops before the opera were interesting. Maybe the interviews and the video tours could be made available to those at the opera house?
My wife and I actually flipped a coin to see who would go for popcorn between acts 2 and 3. I lost. Got back in time to her my friend’s son sing at the opening of act3. I thought Zack did very well.
Great fun,
We are off to la travita on July 5 at half off. SUPER!!
Comment by David Fickbohm — June 12, 2009 @ 3:22 pm