Richard Wagner's idea of fun is not exactly mine. Apparently his wife truly was difficult, and he truly did love her. The opera he wrote shows the demanding wife and the loyal, loving, charming husband--this is his version all the way and supposedly based on an actual incident. Intermezzo is his opera of domestic confusion and discord--and also, an opera with no arias--good music but not compelling, not soaring, and I am curious as to whether I would enjoy just listening to the music without the visuals. New York City Opera (NYCO) has a very clever production. The costumes, the set, all the production values were superb, and they are key in work of this type. Production is the difference between diverting and barely tolerable. Scene changes are handled by the "servants." The acting is fine. Most of the voices are fine to my ear, but Mary Dunleavy, who play Christine (the wife), had a voice that was clear, expressive, usually lovely but at times I did not love it.
NYCO, like all opera companies, wants to develop a younger audience. After the performance your ticket got you into the fourth ring cocktail bar for free drinks and much, -much more popular-music. We old folks did not go, but they made a lot of noise up there.
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