Only in Switzerland you can orderly stage an opera in the middle of the city's central station the way Opernhaus Zurich did tonight. Eva Mei, Vittorio Grigolo, the Zurich Opera Orchestra conducted by Paolo Carignani have brought Traviata to the people, using various parts of the station as sets, while in an example of controlled chaos people walked by, stared at the madness of it all, took the singers' photos (the orchestra -- obviously the only static element of the production -- was placed on a platform in the middle of the center hall, while singers and the chorus moved around).
The audience/travelers reaction at the end of the show? Massive, unabashed enthusiasm and a never ending ovation that was still going on many minutes after the last note, when the broadcast ended -- each and every one of those people in the train station blissfully unaware of the much-discussed death of classical music, difficulty to understand opera, and general aloofness of nineteenth century musical theater.
Arte TV, probably the best TV station in the world, broadcast it live.
Opera Chic watched it, and you didn't.
More later, by0tches.
~*~
Plasma screenshots: