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Article: Pick weapons wisely if you aim to be an opera critic
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- September 18, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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The opera season starts with Lyric's premiere Saturday, which makes
you think about the role of critics.
Being an opera critic is kind of organized today. You go to the
opera, you listen, and you leave. But not before it's over, because
the tenor may get mad at the bass and unexpectedly slice off his
epaulets in the final singing sword fight.
After the opera, the critic writes the review: liked it, loathed
it, loved her, small hellos for him.
But you've heard of another form of opera criticism, in Europe:
Tomatoes, possibly rotten, are thrown at the stage.
This apparently still happens in some operatic side pockets.
Throwing rotten tomatoes seems like a lot of work, not to
mention messy. ...