Original image by There Stands the Glass.
Recreational marijuana has been legalized in Missouri. I’m not tempted when I drive past bustling dispensaries. A matinee performance of an enthralling new opera yesterday demonstrated that I’m fully capable of attaining blissful, extra-sensory states without the use of intoxicants.
I felt like a monster when I selected a third-row center seat in Spencer Theatre on Saturday, February 18. Most of the 100 other people at the free production of Missy Mazzoli’s "Proving Up" opted for seats in the back. My transgression paid off.
Sitting 20 feet from the action in the Cather-esque tale of hardscrabble Nebraska homesteaders was an immersive experience. The performers were obligated to make eye contact with the weirdo up front as they portrayed hope, grief, fear and devastation. I became part of the plot.
The orchestra played the inventive score with authority. The vocalists were remarkable. In fact, everything about the student production was first-rate. Aside from a production of Arrigo Boito’s “Mefistofele” at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma in 2010, “Proving Up” is my favorite in-person opera experience. No gummies necessary.