I just returned from vacationing for a week in Santa Fe. We saw three operas while we were there: Verdi's Falstaff, Saariaho's Adriana Mater, and Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. All three productions were really, really great.
The experience differs from (I'll say) conventional opera performances in that the performances take place in an amphitheater in the mountains just north of Santa Fe. If you arrive before a performance, you'll no doubt encounter tailgaters enjoying dinner that they either brought or had arranged (my wife and I together sampled all four--yum!). There are picnic areas with splendid views of the surrounding mountains. And despite being in "the desert," the nights are actually quite cool: I found myself wishing I had brought a jacket.
Figaro was the last opera we saw, and I was stunned when I took my seat. The set consisted of rows and rows of (presumably) fresh flowers, with the back of the stage opened up for an unobstructed view of the sunset over the mountains. (click here for a picture; not mine) I was actually breathtaken by the sheer spectacle of the set, and knowing that I was in for three hours of Mozart opera was icing on the cake. The final scene at night in the garden actually took place at night in (basically) a garden!
If you have the means, I highly recommend it. It is like no other concert-going experience you will ever have. The music coupled with the (mostly) unadulterated surroundings is unforgettable.
The experience differs from (I'll say) conventional opera performances in that the performances take place in an amphitheater in the mountains just north of Santa Fe. If you arrive before a performance, you'll no doubt encounter tailgaters enjoying dinner that they either brought or had arranged (my wife and I together sampled all four--yum!). There are picnic areas with splendid views of the surrounding mountains. And despite being in "the desert," the nights are actually quite cool: I found myself wishing I had brought a jacket.
Figaro was the last opera we saw, and I was stunned when I took my seat. The set consisted of rows and rows of (presumably) fresh flowers, with the back of the stage opened up for an unobstructed view of the sunset over the mountains. (click here for a picture; not mine) I was actually breathtaken by the sheer spectacle of the set, and knowing that I was in for three hours of Mozart opera was icing on the cake. The final scene at night in the garden actually took place at night in (basically) a garden!
If you have the means, I highly recommend it. It is like no other concert-going experience you will ever have. The music coupled with the (mostly) unadulterated surroundings is unforgettable.