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Friday, July 9, 2010

Opera in Israel -- How Cool Is This?

OK, I admit it, I like Opera!

Carmen is one of my favorites and it is being performed, for FREE, in Tel Aviv, this summer!!

I am going!!

It is going to be hot, humid, and crowded as hell, but I am going!

It is going to be after a LONG chemo day (I will be getting both Doxil and Herceptin that day), but I am going!

It is going to wipe me out, but I am going!

As soon as I am done with chemo, I will gather my kids and take the train to Park HaYarkon.  We will bring a picnic and and camp out until they let us in.

We will be hot.  We will be sweaty.  But we will be there!

You are welcome to join us!

Need I remind you?  Admission is FREE!

When is this happening?  Thursday, July 29th.

What time is the performance?  9:00 pm (that's 21:00, for you Israelis)

Officially, audience entrance begins at 7:00 pm, but maybe they'll let us in earlier....


How long is the performance?  Approximately one hour and 45 minutes.

Where exactly is the performance?  Ganei Yehoshua (Park Hayarkon) in Tel Aviv.
 
Park HaYarkon is MILES long.  I have no idea where Ganei Yehoshua is.  I imagine we will figure this out when we get off the train.  Apparently, the train does stop right next to Park HaYarkon.  I have no idea how close the train stop is to where we want to be.

Maybe you are wondering who is sponsoring this Opera in the Park?
The Municipality of Tel Aviv Yafo and the Israeli Opera continue the annual summer open air opera in the park tradition in Ganei Yehoshua.  This summer's presentation is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire: Carmen, by Bizet, in a colorful and extravagant production. 
Carmen, a free spirited gypsy, runs aways from prison, falls in love with the Toreador, and gets killed by her former lover. 
This larger than life, open air production is based on Franco Zaffirelli's production at the Metropolitan Opera, New - York.
Email me if:
1. you are interested in joining us
2. you have a chair I can sit on for the performance
3. you know if my disability card can get us in earlier
4. you know of a good place to hang out while we wait to get in
5. you can explain how to get to Ganei Yehoshua from the train stop at Park HaYarkon
6. you have any other great ideas

Do not email me to tell me that I am crazy.  I already know that.


(For more information about Carmen in the Park, see below)


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA


Conductor: David Stern
Revival Director: Gad Schechter
Set Adaptation & Design: Nitzan Refaeli
Lighting Designer: Eyal Tavori
Choreographer: Neta Shezaf


Soloists:
Carmen Rinat Shaham
Don Jose
Scott Piper
Escamillo Vladimir Braun
Micaela Noa Danon
Frasquita Hila Baggio
Mercedes Shira Raz
Zuniga Andrei Trifonov
Morales Yair Goren


The Israeli Opera Chorus:
Conductor: Yishai Steckler


The Young Bat-Kol Choir:
Conductor: Dalia Lazar-Shimon
Conductor & Music Director: Anat Morag


The Opera Orchestra - The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion


The Neta Shezaf Flamenco Dance Theatre


Sung in French
Subtitles in English and Hebrew: Israel Ouval

15 comments:

Leah Goodman said...

sounds awesome. I won't be in the country then though.

IsraLuv said...

i went two years ago- it was a blast.

it is in ganei yehoshua. i can give you exact directions closer to the date.

you need to get there early if you want to sit close up - but i preferred being on top of the hill with ample view of the huge 2 screens on either side of the stage.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy! Can you ask your oncologist to have your infusion a day later so you won't be as tired from the chemo when you go to the opera? I know in the States I can make changes to my schedule within reason.

Jill

mikimi said...

I'm not into opera, however did you see the youtube mob-flash TA opera at dizengoff center? awesome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNqosHRbWog

Singin'rin said...

I am happy that you will be there! Hope you enjoy the show. :) Refuaa Shlema! Rinat Shaham (Carmen)

Jennifer in MamaLand said...

My father was very into opera and made us listen to Carmen all the time - among other things. Enjoy!

Bernie said...

So happy for you, I know you will enjoy it.....hopfully you will be able to exchange chemo days so that you might not be so tired and you will be able to enjoy Carmen so much more.....:-) Hugs

Baila said...

I went there the last two years--so fun!!!

Unfortunately, I won't go this year because of my year of mourning. But you will have a blast.

G-d willing, I'll see you there next year!!!

Batya said...

Wow! I'd love to go. It's right after I get back from taking my father to AZ. Remind me that tuesday if you remember, please.

mrg & grm said...

I just caught up on the last month and a half or so.
First - enjoy the opera. Sounds great!
disease progression - feh but, as you wrote, no surprise. I'm glad there are still drug options and I hope they're not too tough and that they keep this at bay.
your daughter's bat mitzvah and how amazing she was - Mazal TOV!!
the dress - troggezunt and enjoy!
I'm sure, like always, that I'm forgetting other things. Take care.

RivkA with a capital A said...

Leah G -- Have a great vacation! I'll see you when you get back!!

IsraLuv -- I thought I wanted to sit up close, but another friend also mentioned how much she enjoyed sitting on top of the hill. I have decided that I don't really care where I sit as long as I can sit in a CHAIR!

Jill -- Besides the time factor, and being tired after spending the day in the hospital, I'm not really worried about being treated on the same day as the opera. In Israel, the oncology day ward is closed on Fridays, so I do not really want to postpone treatment, 'cause that would mean postponing it by at least three days. Since this will only be my second dose of both Doxil and Herceptin, I do not want to delay treatment.

Mikimi -- I love opera and loved that video clip. I actually posted it on my blog, but now I see that the post is not up. I'll have to fix that...

Rinat -- thank you so much for visiting my blog!! how did you find it?? I look forward to hearing you sing Carmen in Tel Aviv!!

Jennifer in MamaLand -- my mother is the one who was into opera. I will forever be grateful to her for passing on that appreciation to me! My dad likes opera too, but, when he goes, he always falls asleep in the middle! Interestingly, my in-laws are also into opera, but my husband is not.

Bernie -- as long as I am not in pain, I will love Carmen, no matter how tired I am!!

Baila -- it's a date!

Batya -- I cannot be counted on to remind you. I suggest you write it in your calendar. That's what I do! Why are you taking your dad to AZ? Btw, my parents and brother live in Phoenix.

Miriam -- thanks!! your comments always make me smile!!

Shelly said...

Sounds like a wonderful evening - maybe I'll see you there. Sitting on hill sounds much more comfortable than in the middle of the crowd, especially in muggy Tel Aviv.

As for being crazy, it's in a wonderful way that makes life more fun and colorful ;-)

Anonymous said...

1. you are interested in joining us
I am, but Rabbi Devra might veto it. the three weeks, I mean the fifty two weeks
2. you have a chair I can sit on for the performance
we have one, a folding one like this http://goo.gl/TbfU but I would gladly shlep something more comfortable for you even like this http://goo.gl/ZwdW
3. you know if my disability card can get us in earlier
clueless, but will gladly call the suitable pakid to get the right answer
4. you know of a good place to hang out while we wait to get in
Umm, wouldn't you need to stay on line to keep your spot? Otherwise it is across from Ganei Hataarucha, there may be a free air conditioned taarucha going on there at the time, I can look into that too
5. you can explain how to get to Ganei Yehoshua from the train stop at Park HaYarkon
Working on it, loםks like a 5 minute walk, would you believe 10. depending exactly where the sitting spot is, between 300 and 800 meters from the train station
6. you have any other great ideas
google - get your friend Rinat top three spots. Kewel!

Love,
Gidon
Read more: http://coffeeandchemo.blogspot.com/#ixzz0tb8a5DXI

Anonymous said...

what a laugh, I put angle brackets around the term to google instead of quotes, and it hid the term!
carmen youtube opera

Anonymous said...

BTW, to remind everyone what a boor I am, the Habanera only brings to mind Gilligan's Island

-Gidon