Matinée. And then train through the night to Munich
My breakfast was later than I had planned. Hotel Helvetia have such a little breakfast room and it was full of people 1-2-3- time I checked. Finally I too could have my breakfast. And I ate well. 1030 check-out, but I could leave my luggage at the hotel. This day was the first time I used the internet-PC at the hotel, mostly to check out the times for train to Munich. Because my first plan was 20 Euro at least more expensive than the one they recommended and my plan was not really that much better, both had two stops. So I did buy the one where I took the 1935 train to Milan, then 2215 from Milan to Verona, 1 hour wait in Verona, at 1 from Verona to Munich (Munich 0630)
Le Villi
Opera-ballo in due atti di Ferdinando Fontana, musica di Giacomo Puccini. In forma semiscenica
Teatro Carlo Felice
domenica 11 marzo, 15.30 (C)
Anna = Fiorenza Cedolins
Roberto = José Cura, tenor
Guglielmo Wolf = Gabriele Viviani
This was a strange day, check-out from hotel, and having to get a train after the opera. But this was the best performance, I doubt the 2007-03-07 performance was better (I was not there, but Rai Radio was there and it was transmitted on radio).
What was the difference: No glasses for Jose Cura this time. He was FREE and could really ACT out as Roberto which also meant that Fiorenza Cedolins would be able to react as the fine actress she is. Gabriele Viviani was still a bit wooden but as the old Babbo Guglielmo it was easily forgiven, his voice was all that matters, but there is only so much to do when it is a concert and your part is really small.
Teatro Carlo Felice is really a fine theater but all the same I was sitting too close to people who do not understand that chatting is not permitted during an opera or concert. It did not completely destroy my opera evenings, but it did not make me happy. And these was not young people who did not no better... Inexcusable.
Anyway, Fiorenza Cedolins was not lucky when she sang a wonderful "Se come voi" because the orchestra glitched, and that was the only fault in this performance, think, during her big aria. But she had the luck of Jose Cura completely in his role as Roberto. How he touched her face when he said he wanted a smile, touching. The duet was really wonderful. And the prayer in the end of act 1 was also wonderfully executed. The aria of Guglielmo Wolf in act 2 is not easy to get, I guess you really need a stage for that one. Jose Cura was incredible in Roberto's long aria in act 2. And the final duet Cedolins/Cura was great.
Not strange that the applause lasted a bit over 10 minutes.
Day 5: Monday 2007-03-12 Munich - Oslo
Flight to Oslo.
First I had a plane from Milan to Oslo. But then I checked out how to get home and with the arrival of the plane 2110 in Oslo it would not be easy to come home in time for work on Tuesday. So I decided Munich was a better departure airport since my arrival in Oslo would be 1530.
But then I had to get to Munich from Genoa. I had come in time for the 1935 to Milan, and in time for 2215 for Verona. And then in Verona there was an one hour stop. Well, having been in Verona train station before I thought I knew what to expect. But the train station was closed except that one could get out of the train station. But no inside seating, and no WC facility open (at least not what I could see). And I needed to go to the WC. Luckily the need was not desperate so I could wait. My train to Munich was already in Verona. Unfortunately my carriage was connected to the wrong train (a train to Nice). In reality the wait for a new train to walk into was not to be almost an hour but just half the time. Sleep well and long I did not. But I was not too sleepy so it was in a way OK.
Brrrrr. Cold in Munich. I had been used to fair weather, 16-18 degrees. And in Munich at 0630 it was cold. 5 layers.... Well naturally in the end it got hotter and when I was at airport suddenly I had to get out to more normal number layers. 20 minutes delayed because the incoming plane was delayed. Later I found out it had a lot of fog in Norway. 1530 in Oslo, Norway. Had to wait a long time for my luggage. And now I was getting to feel it. I was tired. I wanted to be home. Did not want a 7 hours bus ride and be home at 5 Tuesday morning, no that was if I missed one bus, but still did not want to take a 7 hours ride and be home at midnight. So I took a plane back home. It was not cheap. But it was faster. I was home at 21 something.
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