This Week in the Mercury
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Artsy Spooky Opera
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 12:42 PM
I have a confession to make: I hate the expectation to dress up for Halloween. I'm an adult, and I'll skip the costume, thank you very much.
This marks me as a party pooper who hates fun, which is not true. I love Halloween in other respects: The crisp fall air, the pumpkins, the candy, the children in costumes, creatively spooky decorations, ghosts, spirits, Day of the Dead, etc. As long as I don't have to dress up, I'm all for it.
Which made me love Opera Theater Oregon's current show at the Someday Lounge all the more. The circa-1946 mini-opera The Medium by Gian Carlo Menotti fits the season perfectly: It boasts seances, ghosts, death, a drunken con woman, a mute gypsy boy, and a mysterious plot. Toss in the hauntingly beautiful voices of the talented cast, the creaky venue (the stage at Someday is surrounded by shadowy old brick), and eerie sound effects, and you’ve got a haunted house with serious cultural cred. And I didn't have to dress like a witch or Sarah Palin to enjoy it.
My one quibble with the show was a persistent rain sound effect. The fact that it was supposed to be raining outside throughout the story didn't seem to matter to the story, and the sound was distracting in a small venue (where the performers weren't amplified, and the pianist practically sat among the audience). But it's a small complaint.
The production's trailer captures the mood, and demonstrates why this is the perfect way to kick off your Halloween weekend:
You can catch it on the 30th or 31st at Someday Lounge at 7 pm, leaving you plenty of time to get to that kegger with pumpkin beer afterward.
beautiful kitty has gone missing from SE 35th & SE Morrison
Keep an eye out for our dear kitty!
Her name is Bramble Rose & she is a torti with long hair and a white face/chest & paws... pink nose..
She is extremely cute & affectionate- please call 503-913-1937
Band of the Week
Point Juncture, WA
About Portland Mercury
RSS
Comments (0)