r/opera

I went to see Mary, Queen of Scots at San Francisco Opera and this was probably my biggest disappointment at the opera.

The curtain was already up when I arrived. There was a metal structure, a tent and a few ladders onstage. I really thought the crew was still setting up. Then I realized: That IS the set.

Then everyone started appearing in puffer jackets. Mary, Queen of Scots rolls in with Rimowa suitcases. The tent stays for the entire opera.

I know this production wasn’t created specifically by SF Opera. I also have zero problem with modern staging. Like give her a modern luxury residence, sharp tailoring, anything that communicates that these people are royalty and aristocracy. But we got puffers, ladders and a tent.

The music was great and Heidi Stober was fantastic. It felt like a high-level musical performance happening inside a school production with a $200 set budget.

The best part was seeing audience members in kilts and Scottish-inspired outfits. Some of them looked like they had a bigger costume budget than the production.

Why does “modern” opera staging so often translate into intentionally bare and cheap-looking? I don’t understand why Mary, Queen of Scots needed to look like Mary, Queen of REI.

Thanks for the advice here about dress. I wore a casual outfit and I was fine. I didn’t wear jeans. There was a young man next to me who also won the lottery and he was a student in jeans and a T-shirt. The opera was La Boheme and I am very familiar with Rent so I knew the story. The sets are amazing. There was a mule and a horse and snow. All of those elements were terrific. It was long mostly because of the intermissions, which felt like they went on forever. I assume it’s because of the set changes, but I wasn’t expecting that. I wish they had started at 7, which is now common on Broadway, especially to accommodate longer shows. I didn’t get home until almost 1 AM and that is including a car for the last bit. Unlike Broadway, it was nice that I didn’t hear any cell phones or much talking in the crowd.

I suddenly cannot remember the title. Definitely not a tenor. The character laments about a sweater. Very poetic and there's sadness to it. Please help.

I love this opera sooooooooo much. Does anybody happen to have anything from the 1992 production at SF Opera with McNair and Asawa?