Domingo Weeps, Stabs

By Drew

You have to admit, that's a pretty hard headline to pass up. (Courtesy Bloomberg.com)

Anyway, yesterday I made mention of the Met Gala honoring both the Met's 125th anniversary, and the 40th anniversary of Domingo's debut at the Met. Today there’s quite a wrap-up of the gala, thanks to All About Opera. Sounds like it was quite the evening – I hope they’re planning on showing it on PBS, or releasing it on DVD sometime. The whole affair clocked in at just over four hours, including intermission – in other words, just an hour longer than Mitchell's favorite opera. But apparently unlike the long-nosed puppet, the time just flew on Sunday.

And who says opera isn’t for the masses, eh? Or at least for the rabble. Bloomberg mentions that among those in attendance were "Kanye West and his girlfriend, model Amber Rose, Mary-Kate Olsen, Jeremy Irons, Brooke Shields, and others from the world of entertainment." Somehow, I just can’t picture West sitting by the fireplace in a smoking jacket listening to the third act of Aida. And I must remember to ask Mary-Kate if she prefers Schwarzkopf to Flagstad, or thinks that real coloratura is beyond Netrebko. Of course, I could be wrong – if they’re all opera fans, then more power to them.

But I digress. It does sound as if it was a wonderful night, particularly how the Met incorporated its history - constumes, backdrops, images of singers of the past - into the 26 excerpts presented during the evening. Newsday pointed out that "Much of the evening's charm was due to the loving recreation of old sets and costumes from productions of the past," which makes one wonder why today's directors are so eager to wipe out any traces of the past in favor of trendy, politically correct, time-shifting productions. Or perhaps I've just answered my own question.

To be serious for a moment, we have been honored to have the great Domingo around in our lifetimes. I'm sorry to say I've never heard him in person (although who knows; the way he's going, I might still get that chance) but to have at least heard him live - well, that's not bad, is it?

So happy birthday, Met - but, to be honest, here's hoping you don't have many more like this.