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Posts Tagged ‘Theater’

Wicked A New Musical

January 14th, 2010 Richie Stevenson No comments

If you are looking for a nice musical to take your kids and whole family to, Wicked could just be the one that all of you could enjoy most. Wicked is a Broadway musical also being performed at the West End. In New York, it has gathered enough positive criticisms to get a Tony Award and prove its worth.

This musical is based on a novel written by Gregory Maguire entitled “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”. This best-selling literature is actually written in parallel to the classical story entitled “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum.

In the story, there are two witches, Elphaba, who will eventually become the wicked witch and Glinda, the supposedly good witch. These two witches became friends, although they have contrasting personalities and view points. Their friendship did suffer bumps and trials along the way of course. They do share one thing in common though - they both love the same guy.

The setting of the story happened before Dorothy arrived in Oz with the help of her ruby slippers. With that said, the audience could expect notable references, dialogues, and scenes in the equally popular “The Wizard of Oz” movie of 1939.

You need not see the story of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz to appreciate this show and its plot. But those who simply love the classical tale are very much invited to see who the wicked witch of Oz really is. While you may think that she’s the person that made things miserable for the people at Emerald City, you might think differently about her after watching this entertaining Broadway show.

Before finding its way to New York, Wicked was first shown at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. It debuted in May 2003 before being presented in Broadway five months after. The force behind this musical is none other than Universal Pictures and is under the direction of Joe Mantello. Musical staging credits go to Wayne Cilento.

In the US, Wicked is being shown not only in New York but in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Chicago as well. It also has had a big opening in London, more particularly at the West End. A tour is also being held regularly, with the show already taken to Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Ohio, among others.

The main characters of the story, aside from the two witches are The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Madame Morrible, Fiyero, Nessarose, Boq, and Doctor Dillamond. Each one of these characters features a distinct singing voice in the play that makes the musical more entertaining and lively. The most popular numbers of the musical are “No One Mourns the Wicked”, “Dear Old Shiz”, “As Long as You’re Mine”, and “For Good”, among others.

Kids and adults would surely love this show simply because it is a very good one. The tale is rich and eventful, with the musical rendition quite memorable. Take your whole family to enjoy the performance. It is truly going to be a night of entertainment for all of you.

Rich Stephenson is in the SEO field for a ticket agency that sells tickets to sports, concert and theater events. Ticket agency where you can Buy Wicked Tickets as well as Theater Tickets for all theater events.

Madame Butterfly: Review of the Opera

December 25th, 2009 Jeff Bridges No comments

Madame Butterfly is a popular opera that is written by Giacomo Puccini. You will want to bring your opera glasses to this opera. We are about to show you why.

The Madame Butterfly opera begins with a United States Naval Officer, one of the main characters named Pinkerton and a Japanese Marriage Broker named Goro. Pinkerton and Goro are looking at a little house with a gorgeous view from the top of a hill overlooking the bay. Pinkerton wants to have the house home for 999 years. His 999 years include being able to cancel the housing agreement.

As the Opera continues, we find that the wedding of Madame Butterfly and the Officer is soon to take place. Many of Butterfly’s family will be flying in to attend the wedding, with one exception. Butterfly’s uncle will not be attending as he is a priest.

Although Pinkerton is marrying Butterfly, his goal is to get the love of as many beautiful women as possible. This is the reason he wants to have the right to cancel the housing agreement each and every month. Soon you will want to put on your opera glasses to see the beautiful Butterfly.

Before you get to see Butterfly’s beauty, one final part of the opera plays through. The American Consul, who is with Pinkerton, asks him if he loves Madame Butterfly. A yes will not come out of the mouth of Pinkerton, nor could it, for Pinkerton, is simply infatuated with Butterfly’s innocence, beauty and charm. He does not love her. Pinkerton then begins to speak of one day having an American woman to wed.

Butterfly finally graces the stage. The wedding of the Officer and Butterfly begins, as Butterfly’s family looks on. After the wedding has taken place, we find Butterfly’s uncle has broken into the party, he has found out that Butterfly has abandoned her own religion for Pinkerton’s by marrying him. Butterfly is crushed, but is consoled by her unloving husband Pinkerton.

Months and weeks pass Butterfly and Pinkerton stay happily married, Butterfly is beyond content, nearly exploding with joy with the marriage to the man that she loves so much. One day Pinkerton finds that he must leave to fulfill his service as a naval officer, and tells Butterfly that he will soon return.

As act three begins, we come to know that three years have passed since Pinkerton walked out the door for the last time. Butterfly faithfully watches out the window each day to see if his ship will come in. One day as she is watching out the window, she sees a figure that she recognizes walking up the path. No it is not Pinkerton coming up the path, but his good friend that she has known from the beginning as his friend the American Consul. She greets him excitedly hoping that he brings news from her husband. Unknown to Butterfly, the American Consul has been sent to her by Pinkerton to tell her that he has married an American woman named Kate, and that he would not be returning to her ever. Broken hearted, the American Consul Curses Pinkerton, and gives the news so hard to bear.

Butterfly weeps as she hears the story of betrayal and leaves the room distraught. After a short moment she returns carrying a child, and reveals to the American Consul that it is Pinkerton’s. She exclaims with all her heart that her husband could not possibly leave her wife and child for another. After further conversation with the Consul, she accepts that her husband was never truly hers.

There is one final chapter to be played out in Madame Butterfly, but as always you must attend to see the end. This opera is truly amazing, and a wonder to behold, this is a performance that will try dazzle your senses, amazing costumes, wonderful music, and a story line to thrill. Remember to bring your opera glasses so that you can really enjoy this performance. This is a show that cannot be forgotten.

Jeff B. has always loved the theater and opera, he currently helps run an opera glasses retail site where they sell opera glasses. Including Opera Glasses with handle, flashlight, chain and more!

Opera Glasses ” High Fashion, Spyglass Or Optical Device?

December 25th, 2009 Jeff Bridges No comments

Opera glasses developed from a series of other inventions. All this started in 1608 when the Dutch optician Hans Lipperhey created binoculars consisting of two parallel telescopes. Their magnification capability was a (very impressive for the time) x3. Within one year the Italian mathematician and philosopher Galileo Galilee made massive improvements to the techniques and types of lenses used in telescopes, thereby increasing the magnification ability to x30.

Binoculars gave a much wider field of view than telescopes, but since they had 2 convex lenses, the picture that you saw was inverted. It wasn’t until 1617 that Anton Schyrle added an additional lens to re-invert the image. In 1758 John Dollond of England invented the achromatic (color free) lens and thereby solved the problem of color distortion.

One of the final important developments in binocular technology happened when the Italian gunnery officer Ignazio Porro invented prismatic binoculars, thereby once again increasing the field of vision dramatically and making much larger magnification possible.

We don’t find any mention of opera glasses in the printed media before the 1730 - in London. These rather primitive opera glasses were not binoculars - they were mini-sized Galilean telescopes. People used them for decorative purposes as much as to watch opera. The bodies were mostly highly decorated with numerous gems, enamel, mother of pearl and ivory.

We find references to binocular opera glasses for the first time in Vienna during 23. They were still really not much more than two tiny telescopes connected by a bridge. You had to focus the telescopes individually by expanding the tubes.

They soon became highly fashionable. Going to the opera without one of these was social suicide. The designs became increasingly elaborate. Often you would find an optician, a painter and a goldsmith working on the glasses before they were finally ready for their discerning owners. Once at the opera, they were not only used to watch the stage though - they were also regularly used to check out the other guests to make sure there wasn’t by any chance someone with a more elaborate set of opera glasses!

The design was further improved substantially when it became possible to adjust both lenses at the same time using a small wheel in the center. This made opera glasses even more popular and soon everyone who was anyone had to have one. They were highly regarded as gifts - as one can clearly see when you study the inscriptions on many of these glasses dating back to the 17th century.

Although there are nowadays a multitude of different types of opera glasses on the market, they fall into two categories: monocular and binocular. Within those categories you get all the colors of the rainbow and all the styles and materials you can think of. You even get opera glasses with handles and reading lights. One of the more unusual types is one with a jealousy glass - so you can unobtrusively watch someone else in the audience!

Jeff B. has always loved the theater and opera, he currently helps run an opera glasses retail site where they sell opera glasses. Including Opera Glasses with handle, flashlight, chain and more!

Opera Glasses, A Wonderful Manner To See All The Action On Stage From Far Away

December 2nd, 2009 Jeff Bridges No comments

Opera Glasses are similar to binoculars but they are made for being able to see performances on stage. In old opera houses seats placed in balconies that were subsequently cheaper were very far away from the stage. In some they were so far away on the figures could be seen from that distance but seeing facial features, and thus part of the acting, was impossible to make out. Opera glasses would enable those people in the peanut gallery to see on stage much better to the point of seeing the facial expressions of the actors or singers. They have been popular since the 50’s.

Binoculars and Opera Glasses have several major differences including the fact that opera glasses are smaller and made to be unnoticed or be tucked away where no one could see them until the performance started. Today there are several types that look like a flat case easily carried in a women’s bag or in a suit pocket, but touch a button and they pop up. There are some that fold up on each other and hard to notice unless they are fully pulled out and ready to use. Some manufactures make reproductions of older models that have a rod from which to hold them called lorgnettes enabling the view to hold with one hand. This rod folds and practically disappears when not in use.

You can purchase opera glasses easily these days. You can get an inexpensive model for about $50 to $100 US dollars but there are those with better optics are much more expensive. Expensive models will be more stylish as well. Antique opera glasses are often much more expensive merely because they are antique and most often much more ornate. Try them out to make sure they give you the magnification you need and are still in operating order.

Many opera houses and theaters have opera glasses for rent and the price for renting is generally inexpensive. If you frequent the opera or the theater often it may be better to own a pair, but if you only go every so often renting may be the thing for you. It is also suggested if thinking about purchasing a pair to rent different types to see which will be more favorable to your liking. Some people like the ones better that are on the long rod and employ the use of only one hand better, while others don’t mind using both hands. Some people find they don’t even like using them at all.

Opera glasses are different in another way from binoculars. The optical system used is much simpler than that used in binoculars. It is known as the Galilean optical system and based on the system that was invented by Galileo. The view is not as sharp with opera glasses as it is with binoculars but it still enables you to see what is happening on the stage.

China is the major producer of opera glasses today. They usually have a 3 X magnification that is good for a concert hall or big auditorium. Some go up to 5 X but they tend to cost more. Some come equipped with a center focus and others don’t focus at all. The ones that do not focus usually have a small LED light that is placed between the barrels for the eyes. It helps you to read the program in dim lights without bothering the person in the seat next to you. People with good vision have no problem with these but if you do wear glasses or contacts you might want to look into the focusing type. There is a mechanism for the focus in the focusing opera glasses that takes the place of the light. You can use them with corrective lenses or without.

Cases usually come with new opera glasses and the vintage type will also have them. Soft cases are available as well as the hard type with a velvet lining. Antique glasses can be made of ivory or cloisonne enamel or they may have jewels attached or be decorated with gold or silver. These opera glasses were made to be elegant although you were not supposed to notice them. Either type make a great gift for those who frequent the opera, ballet or theater.

Before you attend any performance make sure that you have a good pair of opera glasses. Here you can check out Opera Glasses with handle, flashlight, chain and more!

Opera Glasses To See The Show

December 2nd, 2009 Jeff Bridges No comments

Opera glasses are also called theater binoculars. They are compact and low powered devices used for optical magnification at performances. Originally they were used at operas. The magnification of opera glasses is usually about a 3x power and is always under 5x. This is necessary due to light constraints.

In some ways, opera glasses may look like binoculars. They are however designed for use indoors. They are useful for those at an opera or other performance who have seats that are seated in the back of the theater or in the balconies. The give the theater goers the ability to see the stage from the locations that are far away.

However, opera glasses are not true binoculars from an optical point of view. Binoculars are actually a pair of telescopes. The overall length of the telescopes is made possible by an optical process called folding which uses mirrors to shorten the length. Opera glasses, use a convex lens as the objective lens and a concave lens for the eyepiece. Although the image is not as high a quality as with binoculars, it is produced upright using only two lenses instead of the multiple lenses necessary with the binoculars.

Opera glasses are designed to be small and unobtrusive. They should be small enough that they do not distract other theater goers. Some of the models fold so that they may be easily slipped into the pocket or the purse.

Use of opera glasses can take some getting used to. One suggestion is to try an inexpensive rental of opera glasses. They are often available at the larger operas. If you rent before you buy, you will know if opera glasses help you to enjoy the show.

During the nineteenth century, many ladies used spectacles having a long handle called a lorgnette. Most of these glasses were more ornamental than they were useful. The lorgnette was preferred at this time to the more traditional spectacle. Today, many of the more expensive opera glasses use the design of the lorgnette of the nineteenth century.

The use of opera glasses is truly a personal choice. They may be helpful in following the story line for some patrons however others find them to be annoying and unnecessary to follow the story line. The other factor may be the seat that you choose. While better seating may be more expensive, it often offers a much better view of the show without requiring the use of opera glasses.

Before you attend any performance make sure that you have a good pair of opera glasses. Here you can check out Opera Glasses with handle, flashlight, chain and more!