This weekend Rob and I went to see 
The Abduction from the Seraglio at the Icelandic Opera with Jochen, from work, and his wife. It was, as Rob says, a very satisfactory evening. The voices were good and they could act! The staging of this production was very good. I was able to follow the opera, despite the fact that it was in German and Icelandic, (They translated the dialogue into Icelandic) because the body language and director’s choices made the story very clear.
I also loved the set, which at first glance was an abstract mosaic, but on second look became an aerial view of the city. It emphasized the journey that Belmonte (the hero) had to make to find his beloved, Constanza.
Of course, I also have to admit that part of my enjoyment was because the tickets, which Jochen purchased, were front and center. The stage at the opera is very small, so the performers frequently came out into the house. Because we were in the middle, it was as if they were coming down to sing just for us.
