Surprising Agreements and a BONK on the Head

I never thought this would happen in my lifetime, but I was always hoping it would. The New York City Opera and New York City Ballet have FINALLY come to an agreement. There will be renovations to improve the acoustics of the New York State Theater to the happiness of everyone who has ever loved City Opera. Good newssss!!!!


Sometimes things happen at the opera that are totally unexpected and have nothing to do with the action onstage at all, but they affect the mood of the entire night. On Saturday I saw "Le Nozze di Figaro" and in the second act, as we probably all know, the Count is in a tizzy because he thinks the Countess is hiding a lover in her dressing room. That's the simple version. Anyway, he goes to her desk/vanity and starts tearing it apart! Makeup, jewelry boxes, and an assortment of other things start flying around the stage while the Count is searching for the key to the dressing room. Suddenly, (the entire audience sees it) a ROUND little jewelry box thing starts rolling downstage. Everyone, except the performers and the orchestra, sees it coming, but we can't do anything to prevent it. The tension rises as it rolls closer to the orchestra pit. And closer and closer and closer and closer... *GASP* *bonk* Riiiiiight onto the head of the cellist. The conductor STOPS THE MUSIC and Simon Keenlyside and Anja Harteros turn in slight confusion. The audience is laughing hysterically and the poor cellist is holding her head like "whaaaaaat?" After a few moments of laughter and applause Simon Keenlyside gestures to La Contessa as if to say "It was her fault!" More laughter. After a long pause the music starts again and the opera resumes.
Later in the act I look down in the orchestra pit. The cellist is nowhere to be seen!!! I still don't know what happened to her, but she didn't come back to the opera! As much as I want her to be okay it was still REALLY funny. But I hope she's okay. =)

PS. I'm still clinging hopelessly to the Solti recording.

Happy Listening!!! =)