So this Hawaii Opera Theater show has come and gone, but I still see letters to the editor (mainly in the Advertiser) fawning about how good it was.
It wasn't.
It was swill. Gawdawful swill.
I hadn't commented about it, hoping it would fade away... but it didn't.
It won't go away.
People keep saying it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Where do I start? The microphones? Why was the cast using microphones? I thought this was opera... (oh yeah, they're doing Broadway...)
The sound system was complete garbage. It sounded like they were all singing and talking through AM radios.
The singing (aside from Anna the teacher) was weak, and the acting was often marginal at best.
I was ready to walk out as soon as intermission came along, but decided not to since I had plunked down $75 per seat to see it, and hoped it would get better.
The uncle Tom's cabin dance scene was great, though, and I'm glad I stuck around for that.
Overall it wasn't worth what I paid, and frankly I was a little mortified that HOT was putting on Broadway shows instead of opera. Last year's Pirates of Penzance was a great show, and I could see amplifying Frank DeLima, but I would have thought that everyone involved in this year's show could sing well enough that they wouldn't need microphones.
It will be interesting to see what materializes next summer. The jury's still out on whether or not I'll be going back. I expected a lot more from HOT considering how great the productions are during the regular season.
Others that I talked to also thought the show was bad. They too are considering avoiding the summer shows.
I'm not sure what the point of the summer shows are, now. Last year I thought it was a good way for those who are unfamiliar with opera to get their feet wet without plowing through six hours of Wagner or something. And Gilbert and Sullivan-esque operattas can achieve just that. But this venture into Broadway was a little hard to take.
Any other thoughts?
It wasn't.
It was swill. Gawdawful swill.
I hadn't commented about it, hoping it would fade away... but it didn't.
It won't go away.
People keep saying it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Where do I start? The microphones? Why was the cast using microphones? I thought this was opera... (oh yeah, they're doing Broadway...)
The sound system was complete garbage. It sounded like they were all singing and talking through AM radios.
The singing (aside from Anna the teacher) was weak, and the acting was often marginal at best.
I was ready to walk out as soon as intermission came along, but decided not to since I had plunked down $75 per seat to see it, and hoped it would get better.
The uncle Tom's cabin dance scene was great, though, and I'm glad I stuck around for that.
Overall it wasn't worth what I paid, and frankly I was a little mortified that HOT was putting on Broadway shows instead of opera. Last year's Pirates of Penzance was a great show, and I could see amplifying Frank DeLima, but I would have thought that everyone involved in this year's show could sing well enough that they wouldn't need microphones.
It will be interesting to see what materializes next summer. The jury's still out on whether or not I'll be going back. I expected a lot more from HOT considering how great the productions are during the regular season.
Others that I talked to also thought the show was bad. They too are considering avoiding the summer shows.
I'm not sure what the point of the summer shows are, now. Last year I thought it was a good way for those who are unfamiliar with opera to get their feet wet without plowing through six hours of Wagner or something. And Gilbert and Sullivan-esque operattas can achieve just that. But this venture into Broadway was a little hard to take.
Any other thoughts?
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