On Monday night I was part of an experiment in theatre.
Scottish Opera performed Stravinsky’s opera Oedipus Rex in promenade form. The audience and several of the players (especially the chorus) intermingled on the main floor and balcony of the National Museum. Whilst the music and singing were wonderful, in my opinion the trial was a failure.
The amplified narration was mostly unintelligible, the enchanting costumes were only glimpsed due to the crowd, and the majority of the action was unseen since it took place at various points away from wherever you were. Add to that, the libretto was only available on your phone.
I find reading things on my phone difficult at the best of times. Of course familiarity with the story meant less reliance on “surtitles” is necessary for me for this opera. At least the acoustics of the Grand Gallery allowed for clarity of music and song.
If another offering of this type is presented, I’ll certainly pass.
https://www.eif.co.uk/events/oedipus-rex Also on 18 and 19 August.
