Don Giovanni

On Friday I was invited to used an extra ticket with some friends to see Don Giovanni at the Met on Saturday, April 16th. I went down on the Chinatown bus, saw the opera, and stayed with friends in the West Village. On Sunday I went to the Neue Galeria, Fifth Ave & 84th, to see the excellent photography exhibit, German and Austrian photography 1900-1938. Amazing stuff, like seeing the birth of photography as an art, really. I planned more museum visits, but the day was so gorgeous that I went to Central Park instead and watched softball. Came back late Sunday evening.
The opera was great — I’d not seen it before — but I was a little underwhelmed by the staging. The sets grew dull by the second act, and the ending, with snow instead of flames, didn’t give the oomph I was expecting. The singing/acting was great. It was my first experience seeing a titled opera (“Met titles”). An improvement in the experience, for me, but a little weird to hear laughter before or after the actual line is delivered on stage.