Screenshot of Uwe Schönbeck in Komische Oper Berlin’s production of Jacques Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffman” by There Stands the Glass.
It’s over. My daily opera initiative will end on New Year’s Eve when I finish watching the 285th opera I’ll have taken in on 285 consecutive days. The binge expanded my worldview, enhanced my appreciation of all forms of music and provided an ideal diversion during the pandemic. Yet it’s become a burdensome chore.
Now that my taste has developed, I’m no longer willing to accept whatever’s available. I’ve grown frustrated by the scarcity of productions consistent with my sensibilities. Multiple versions of hits like “La Bohème,” “Die Zauberflöte” or “La Traviata” are always on tap, but tracking down videos of operas I haven’t seen is increasingly difficult.
More significantly, the obligation became a hassle. Rather than enjoy an unseasonably warm day a couple weeks ago, I was tethered to a four-hour and 45-minute production of Richard Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung.” Brünnhilde wouldn’t approve of my decision to stay indoors to see her self-immolate a third time.
I don’t intend to go cold turkey. I’ll still watch an opera when the mood strikes me, maybe once a week. Viewing 52 virtual operas a year sounds about right. And I’ve just begun exploring the colossal vault of opera recordings. Even so, I have a crucial void to fill. I have a few tricks up my rolled-up sleeve as I await my vaccine injections.
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I ranted and raved on KCUR’s Christmas Eve broadcast about The 10 Best Songs to Come Out of Kansas City In 2020 and The 10 Best Holiday Songs by Kansas City Artists. And no, I didn’t title the segments.