Opera: Les Vêpres Siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers)

Last night, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group (LCMTG) for the last day of Sicilian Vespers at the Royal Opera House. Continuing the horror theme, even the publicity shot for this shows skulls.. Again, it's months since I was last here, or with this group. Ate in Cote Covent Garden beforehand - even though it was on early, it was a long one, so I had to eat beforehand - I hate grabbing food on the run, and avoid it if I can.

Started work early so I could finish early, and made it to the restaurant just in time for the booking. Wow - they've changed the menu! Not materially really, you can still get what you want to eat - you just have to find it. And I did, having my usual calamari to start, although I switched to chicken for main course - it comes with fries and a free sauce; I had gravy. The big change, however, is in the wine list - they always had a great wine list, but it's been decimated! I'm not saying they don't still have good wines, but it's so much shorter than it used to be..

Another - pleasant - change is that now everyone gets baguette slices, served with butter, before the starter.. and the bread was hot! Delicious - I was hungry, and finished it quickly. I was a bit worried about timings, given that I was to have two courses, and had just an hour to eat and make my way there (albeit a short walk) - but I needn't have worried, service was on point, and here, they're completely on the ball, considering most of the clientele are on their way to a show. As were the elderly couple at the table beside me - but of course, they had arrived earlier, and were on their mains by the time I arrived! They had time for desserts, then made their way over - I think I was still on my starter.

The chicken was nice, although not up to the standard of some others - I think I'll go back to the steak in future. Anyway, I did get most of it eaten before I had to leave - and made the opera house just in time, thanks to their ever-efficient lifts. I was in the Amphitheatre (top level), but about midway - not too high:

Well now. I had never heard of the historical event on which this was based.. The Sicilian Vespers occurred in the 13th century, when Sicily was under French control, and the people were suffering with bad conditions and high taxes. Our main characters are revolutionaries on one side, and the French governor on the other.

There were two intervals, during which I met the group - I hadn't had time beforehand, and had let them know. Now, I loved the staging for this - it was set up as if we were watching, not the historical events, but the premiere of the opera itself in Paris in 1855. The costumes date from then, and they had a set of theatre balconies onstage - much like the ones in the opera house we were sitting in - filled with theatregoers watching the show. These were mainly visible during the first and last scenes - at one point, the theatregoers (on stage) pelt what look like chunks of bread at one of the characters.

This is an opera about a revolt. But I got the distinct impression that the composer, Verdi, doesn't like writing about revolts - the "revolutionary song" just before the first interval wouldn't inspire me to fling a paperclip. Perhaps the political climate in France at the time influenced that decision - it was seven years since the February Revolution and the establishment of the Second Republic, and it's possible that Verdi didn't feel that a revolutionary play would go down well. (Or perhaps that presentation is exclusive to this production - I hadn't seen it before.) So, at the first interval, I was quite underwhelmed.

It improved for me. There are some lovely arias - by the second interval, people were noticing musical similarities to pieces from La Traviata. Certainly, Verdi doesn't focus too much on the revolution, preferring to concentrate on one of the revolutionary leaders (who turns out to be the son of the governor, the product of his rape of one of the local women!) and his relationship with the daughter of another revolutionary leader. Yep, Verdi loves a love story - and theirs is central to the final act. Which culminates, I have to say, in a much more satisfying revolutionary song! I guess he didn't want to peak too soon..

It's never going to be one of my favourites, but I enjoyed it - if not the extremely lengthy run-time! Funnily enough, on my way out, I ran into the elderly couple from the restaurant! He recognised me, and said he'd guessed I was coming here, from the way I was dressed. Anyway, he said it was very nostalgic for them, as they'd played the same opera in a student production 60 years ago in Oxford..

As if I hadn't spent enough time at the opera, I was delayed again on the way home - as a few of us, all waiting for the #188, were discussing, what on earth has happened to the timetable?! I might have known I'd be waiting, considering one passed as I was crossing the road to the stop - sure enough, it was to be 35 minutes more. The bus listings promised it'd be there in 8 minutes.. then 9.. then 8.. then 5.. then 18.. then 2.. When it finally came, it was one of the modern design - I hadn't been on one at night before, and I was to discover they have subdued green lighting! presumably to calm the passengers, and lull them to sleep.. Certainly, by the time I got home and got a few things done, it was time to go to bed anyway, so the blog was delayed. Slightly!

Tonight, finally back - for the first time in nearly a year! - with the Horror Book Club! Not a book club meeting per se - I never have time to read them - this is a panel, in Waterstone's - of new horror writers, discussing what's current. I've booked for Prezzo, next door, beforehand - probably didn't need to, but why not?

Tomorrow, finally back with storytelling at Torriano! Hosted, as ever, by Nell Phoenix, it's - again - months since I was there. On this occasion, the performance is Lilith: The Other Side of the Story.

On Thursday, by the way, we have a company-sponsored team lunch, a reward for our hard work on the recent release - and I'll be eating burgers again, in Byron Burgers. Another place I haven't been to in years! And that evening, I thought film - and what came up was Mr. Nobody Against Putin, a documentary where a Russian teacher films his school to capture Putin's brainwashing of schoolchildren to fight against the Ukraine. Showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury - which, of course, I can walk to from the office, where I'll be that day. I booked - it was selling out - and used the last of my year's free tickets on it.

Then a few more days of horror. On Friday, I'm off to Dark Secrets: The Esoteric Exhibition at Waterloo Vaults - sounded too interesting to miss!

On Saturday, storytelling from the Crick Crack Club! Ben Haggarty and Sarah-Liisa Wilkinson are performing Stories in the Dark at the Richmond Lending Library. Sold out now, I believe. I've booked the Buenos Aires steakhouse for afterwards.

On Sunday, back with The Hideout for Good Boy - a horror film from the perspective of a dog just trying to protect its master! Happening somewhere around Leicester Square - details TBA.

Next, a couple of plays. On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Lifers, a prison drama at Southwark Playhouse - was delighted I still had credit on my PAYG subscription with them.

Next Tuesday, heading to Blessings at Riverside Studios - a play about a staunchly religious family in the 60s, with change in the offing. Damnit, I saw it was on CT, checked to see whether full-price tickets were more expensive, which they were - and accidentally booked one of those instead!

The 15th is our work social - we're headed to Boom Battle Bar, which has, em, axe throwing.. among other things. Augmented reality features. Well, I missed it at Shocktober..

On the 16th, I'm back with the LCMTG for The Cardinall's Musick, performing a choral concert at St. Martin in the Fields.

On the 17th, The Hideout persuaded me to go to Ti West's X trilogy - Pearl, X, and MaXXXine - at the PCC. Never seen any of them before. Lord knows when I'll have time to eat..

And on the 18th, meeting James for our monthly get-together at The Phoenix - it's the only weekend he can, and he prefers Saturday. Ivan can't make it - Martin provisional as of yet.