Calixto Countdown

I wrote last time I wanted to lose 5 kilos.....

Make that 10.

And so, I start my personal countdown to the Bieito Parsifal in Stuttgart. We begin rehearsals in one month. Here's a little tidbit of his work. Another taped by yours truly here. The latter link is from the Basel Lulu production.

That Lulu was actually pretty interesting stuff. I had two very good friends in the production and both rave about working with Calixto, so I have to trust them and allow myself to look forward to what's coming my way. But that evening I was not so open minded. His work is pretty confrontational.

Funny story... after the performance in Basel, we were at the opening night party and I found a friend there, Elizabeth Sabotka, who was the Artistic Director of Staatsoper Berlin when I was fest there. She knew I was more conventional in my own stage instincts so she was not surprised when I said after seeing the show: "There's no WAY I would do any of what I saw this evening!" She replied: "I give you 2 years. I bet you are going to be at the forefront of what you saw. I predict you will start to really WANT to do something interesting like this." I walked away shaking my head.

5 minutes later....

I'm introduced to the regisseur, Mr. Bieito. I actually enjoyed the show (unlike the Kommische Oper Butterfly which I walked out of) and so I could honestly congratulate him. He then said: "Aw. Finally Mr. Richards. I get to meet my Parsifal!!"

Wha?

Sure enough, unbeknownst to me I had agreed to do my first foray into Wagner with the most terrible of the enfants! I found Ms. Sabotka again and told her I had just been served a portion of my own foot, that she wouldn't have to wait 2 years...

She laughed so hard people came rushing to do CPR.