A Night At The Opera

After a largely wasted day where we visited the Yasupov Palace to take part in the Rasputin tour only to find it canceled and then spent an hour or so searching for the Central Post Office (to send Christmas presents home), only to find it but to also find ourselves completely mentally and linguistically unfit to deal with the Russian postal system, it was pleasent to finish the evening in grand style at the Marinsky.

With tickets worth $60, much less than we would have paid for the same at the Lyric Theatre, we got to enjoy a splendid view of Madame Butterfly from the dress circle. Okay so a piece of ham on a tiny slice of bread cost $4, but the opera itself was like a sumptuous banquet. The Marinsky is a splendid theatre, stacked five stories high like an opulent wedding cake.

A Wedding Cake of Sound

The opera itself, the first for the both of us, was absolutely breathtaking. While I'd heard the famous aria on one of my Opera Classics CD to hear it as part of the whole performance, and to watch this magnificent tragedy unfold was definitely one of the highlights.

Oh and Mum, Nick and Shannon, don't worry we found a post office at the Hermitage to send the Christmas presents home.

paka