Teatro La Fenice di Venezia (La Fenice Theatre in Venice)

Venice itself is a museum and treasure box. From every angle, one sees something astonishingly beautiful, if somewhat aged and tired looking, though the charm of Venice does reside much in the apparent ancientness.  The main opera house in Venice, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, however, does not attract one's attention with a flamboyant or stories exterior; it's a rather subdued classical structure, solid and unpretentious, and one hardly expects to encounter the remarkably exuberant Rococo beauty inside.

La Fenice (The Phoenix), dating back to late 18th century, was aptly named because it indeed re-emerged several times from fire and ashes, with the latest devastating fire taking place in 1996 and rebuilt subsequently from 2001 through 2003.

Quoting Wikipedia, "La Fenice was rebuilt in 19th-century style on the basis of a design by architect Aldo Rossi and using still photographs from the opening scenes of Luchino Visconti's 1954 film Senso, which was filmed in the house, in order to obtain details of its design. It reopened on 14 December 2003 with an inaugural concert of Beethoven, Wagner, and Stravinsky. The first opera production was La traviata in November 2004."

When I returned to Venice in October 2012, there was no performance scheduled in La Fenice then, so I took solace in touring the theater - a self-guided tour, with no entry time and duration constraints.  For an extra fee, visitors were allowed to take photos and videos of the pale green and gold color schemed auditorium, breath-taking for its almost too ornate, extremely detailed yet subtle beauty.  Words fail me here so I'll let the image to speak instead:























Below are images from two smaller halls, ideal for intimate recitals; though smaller and less elaborate, they were no less beautiful.






Related posts on Art · 文化 · Kunst: 
- Famed Palaces and Houses (Ca') in Venice
- Il Ghetto di Venezia and Museo Ebraico (Jewish Museum) in Venice
- Bridges in Venice, Italy
- San Giorgio Maggiore, Il Redentore, Scuola e Chise Grande di San Rocco, Venezia
- Magical Piazza San Marco in Venice
- Gondolas in Venice, Italy
- Boy With Frog Sculpture and Punta della Dogana, Venice
- Bus Ride From Graz, Austria to Venice, Italy
- Magnificent Churches in Vienna
- Christopher Wheeldon's Brilliant Cinderella at San Francisco Ballet
- Theater Experiences in Wien (Vienna)

Label: Italy, Austria and Italy Trip 2012

Rainbow Colored San Francisco War Memorial Opera House

The elegant and cool hallways of San Francisco War Memorial Opera House were preparation station for patrons to mentally prepare for emotional plunges along with the orchestra and singers, or oases to take refuges from the heat generated on stage and in the orchestra pit.

  

During intermissions, I like to cool down a bit on the balcony, which offers a view of the neoclassical dome of the San Francisco City Hall - not for the fresh air - many patrons smoke there, unfortunately.  Sometimes, the opera house would decorate itself a bit on the balcony, and it's always fun to see the appearance du jour, like encountering an old friend with a new hairdo.

Last week I was delighted by the multiple-hued balcony, cheerful and festive.  Snapping pictures along, I realized that the colors formed a rainbow and they must be there to celebrate the Gay Pride Month, which culminated in San Francisco with the Gay Parade, taking place on 23-24 June this year.

In San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, the festivity started early.

San Francisco Ballet Banners

Last week, I attended a performance in San Francisco Ballet.  During the intermission, the balcony, with a view of San Francisco City Hall, was a wonderful play to rest and breath.

San Francisco Ballet put out some meshed banners above the niches and looking through these banners, I could see the glistering dome of the City Hall, superimposed on the impossibly posed amazing dancers.  Beautiful!

Naked Art

Last weekend, more than 5,000 people took off their clothes on the steps of the iconic Sydney Opera House to pose for Spencer Tunick, famous for his snapshots of mass nudity in public spaces. This installation was commissioned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Tunick claimed: "Gay men and women lay naked next to their straight neighbours and this delivered a very strong message to the world that Australians embrace a free and equal society."

Quit a followup to my previous post - Is it Art?