Exterminating Angel HD

[lennygoran]

Just back from this at the Rockaway Mall, NJ-an extraordinary experience-unique, riveting! And here I was thinking of returning next week's Me tickets when we're back in nyc to see it live--go figure. Regards, Len

[Beckmesser]

I caught the HD this past Sunday.

I was not moved. And judging by the unusually tepid response of the other attendees (the theater was quite full) they weren't either.

It's been decades since I saw the Buñuel film on which the opera is based so I can't recall what impression it left on me. Perhaps the surreal nature of the plot left me feeling unengaged. I simply couldn't feel any empathy with the characters in the drama.

As for the music, my reaction was, "what does the music add to this story aside from some spooky sound effects?" I thought the vocal writing with its spiky vocal lines for the sopranos tedious in the extreme. The whole first act was like an opera consisting only of recitatives.

[lennygoran]

I found a lot of the music appropriate for this surrealistic work and the ending really grabbed me. I admit however that seeing it HD style was much better for us-you really needed to see all the characters up close and personal imo. The Met sure was packed last night and when the opera ended there was a lot of applause. Will I play this music while I'm cooking in the kitchen-I don't think so! Len