Venice

Another glorious day. After breakfast on the rooftop terrace again, we set off to explore the shops but did not do any retail damage. At noon, we took a water taxi to the Victoria, checked in, had a bite to eat, unpacked and then I took the shuttle back to the Piazza San Marco and walked over to La Fenice, the opera house, where I had booked to see Mozart's "Don Giovanni". I was early, so I popped into the San Fantin Church across the street to see one of the Biennale exhibits. It was part of a monumental work by Ukrainian artist, Oksans Mas made of over three million painted wooden Ukrainian eggs. It represents works of the Van Eyck brothers and their depictions of the gardens of paradise. It is utterly fascinating....a blend of the old and the new, the eggs resemble pixels, each one, according to the artist, symbolizing the destiny of mankind. And.....a soundtrack of bird calls played all the while.

La Fenice is a gem! It has been rebuilt three times after fires, the last one, in 1996, was deliberately set and the perpetrators were sent to prison. The damage was exacerbated by the fact that the fire services were unable to reach the scene because nearby canals had been drained for cleaning. (cf "City of Fallen Angels", a great read"). La Fenice means "phoenix". The building is neo-classical. Inside, it is a horseshoe shape with several tiers of boxes and an orchestra section. No mezzanine or balconies. The orchestra seats are Louis XV style armchairs upholstered in pinkvelvet....and oh so comfortable! The decor is based on a 19th century style, but it is highly gilded, ornate and colorful, complete with rosy-cheeked putti. When you enter, it just tackeds your breath away.

The opera was delightful. A dark story, to be true, but such glorious music. The scenery a continually rotating series of rooms all decorated in very pale colors And illuminated by candlelight, throwing long shadows, was very unusual. The director's interpretation of both the duel between Don Juan and the Commendatore and the final scene was rather weak, but I was just thrilled to be there. There were many tourists in the audience, but mostly Venetians, who were dressed beautifully for the occasion. ( There is no doubt that the Italians have style,especially the women.). The audience was very discerning were quick to judge the performances. Don Ottavio got far more ovations than Don Juan!!!! What a thrill it was!!!!

I caught the shuttle back to the ship. It had been a long day. No doubt about it, the opera will be one of the highlights of the trip.......maybe THE highlight!

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