Today I once again led the squad to a successful securing of last minute student opera tickets. The opera gang this time was me, Rose, Colleen, and Tati. The opera was Achilles en Esciros.
This opera was not my favorite. Obviously, it was really good still and I love any opera, so I was happy, I had a great time, it just wasn't the absolute banger I thought it'd be. Like every other nerd, I am into mythology, specifically the Iliad, and over the last year or so I've read my fair share of feminist/queer mythology retellings. So I thought I was going to go crazy for this Italian opera from the 18th century, called Achilles in Skyros, and being billed as queer/progressive. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver all the way.
The plot of the opera is that Achilles is hiding on Skyros, pretending to be a woman to avoid fighting in the Trojan War. He's having an affair with the princess (who knows Achilles's identity), and his love for her, prevents him from going to Tro to fight, because even though he wants to be a hero, prove himself, earn glory for Greece, etc., she'd be saddies if he left. But Odysseus shows up, instantly sees what's up, and lures Achilles to reveal himself and go fight in Troy. After a few refrains of conflict, Achilles is forgiven for deceiving the king, and he gives him permission to marry the princess before going to Troy.
The stage design was cool--the setting was the cliffs on the coast of Skyros/the palace, so the set looked like rocks. Achilles (when pretending to be a girl and when not) and Odysseus were both contra tenors, which was a cool choice. The rival suitor the princess was played by a girl. She slayed. The character is so funny.And he showed up to court the princess, but fell in love with Achilles and kept saying (singing) stuff like, "She's so beautiful when she's angry," "I'm obsessed with her ferocity," "Skyros women are so weird... I love that." King honestly. The costumes are interesting. At first I was a little thrown because they all looked very 1700s, like it was giving Versailles over Ancient Greece, but then I remembered this opera was written in 1736 for the marriage of Maria Theresa and HRE Francis I, and so they were going for this Court of the Sun King does Homer look. I thought that was fun. And deserve. I would wear all the girl costumes. The boy ones were kind of mid, they had Odysseus in a t-shirt, but that's par for the course. Before the opera started, there was this blonde hanging out on stage reading, then the opera started with her getting in trouble for reading, instead of talking to fiancé. Queen. Then she was just always on stage vibing. Love her.
Me, Rose, Colleen, Tati.
After the opera we went and got tacos!
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