2007.10.26. Iphigenia in Tauris, by Gluck, in French. Seattle Opera's first time co-production with Metropolitan Opera. First opera I saw that there're acting and dancing before the music starts. Also one of the shortest (less than 2 hours). Good voices, nice chorus. I like one dual the most: "death is even a bliss if the tomb unites us" by Orestes and Pylades.
Simple plot but very bloody: the father sacrificed the daughter in order to proceed in the war, the mother murders the father, the son avenges the father by killing the mother. Now the daughter (which was saved by the goddess who requested the sacrifice) is about the sacrifice her brother.
Only one set of stage, but cut into three parts. Even though all three parts are nicely done, but each looks much smaller than it should be. Diana looks more like a motorcycle sci-fi gangster than a Greek goddess.
The pre-performance lecture is by this new education associate. He's a bit dull.