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Saturday 5 October 2013

Le Grand Macabre and a need to vent

Tonight a colleague of mine and I went out to see György Ligeti's burlesque opera "Le Grand Macabre


It was a very entertaining but quite bizarre experience... Loved the scenography, especially the lights and the use of bits of film/movie. The performers did a great job, but the story took some getting into - the day after a drinking binge, anxiety thinking the end of the world has come - and the music had some weird bits in it. But all in all well worth the visit to the opera house. 

So why does my heading say "...a need to vent"? This summer I bit the dust and exchanged my old cell phone for a smart phone - yes I have issues with technology, I have just started to get used to the idea I can use my phone to do more than call and text message ;-) As on most theaters, when the show began one of the attendants came on stage and asked everyone to please not take photographs or record any of the performance. She also asked people to please turn off their phones and to only update Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during intermission. Show begins, the woman next to me shoots a picture of the stage. I think "Ok, she violates the regulations getting a souvenir, but will put away her phone after this". But no! She kept on using it - and with the screen quite close to my face I could clearly see she was on FB, she was texting, she was flipping through her photo album and whatever else. Since the light from the screen was interfering with my vision I asked her to please turn it off  - TWICE! And she just kept going! This was a woman about my age (mid 30s), so she should be grown up enough to respect people and shut off the phone when it clearly violates regulations and is an annoyance to people around her! If she though the show was boring she could have left during intermission, but she kept on playing with her phone trough the second half as well! 

I really, really, really hope I never become that attached to my phone! However I used it on my way out to take a picture of their lovely stage curtain


Its a piece of art made in cotton, wool and polyester by american artist Pae White, and she called it "Metafoil". Unfortunately the picture doesn't do it justice, however it does kind of look like scrunched up tin foil ;-)

Hugs and stitches from Anne Ida

3 comments:

Doniene said...

It really is interesting how rude/selfish people are these days! Way to go for at least asking her! Glad you enjoyed the opera though.

Have a great day!

Elaine Adair said...

I agree - it WAS rude!

I had a friend over for lunch which was a big deal for me, cleaning and cooking, etc., and then during OUR lunch, our conversation was put on "hold" while she chatted with friends on the phone who were calling and then she returned the calls! All the time I was sitting there wondering if I should go ahead and eat, should I leave? what???? Very bad manners, and I don't think I'l ask her again for lunch. Yuo were very patient and polite - didn't get you anywhere, did it?

Sherrill said...

I would have gone and reported her! That really ticks me off when people are so thoughtless and the light IS very bright and distracting! You paid money and shouldn't have to put up with that.