Divamensch

[NOTE: This review was written in January 2021 as part of my 2010-2019 decade-in-review post.]

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Susie, Susan, and I saw Leonard Bernstein’s opera *A Quiet Place* at the New York City Opera in the fall of 2010. I only knew the piece by reputation: it’s an opera that 1983 that serves as a pseudo sequel to or extension of Bernstein’s 1951 short opera *Trouble in Tahiti.* I had loved *T in T* for years, knew nothing about *AQP* and jumped at the chance to see a full staged production.

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It was one of my favorite genres, a glorious mess. Very ambitious, uneven, but ultimately satisfying. Not something I need to ever see again, but I was very glad to have seen it. I was especially impressed by the performance of Patricia Risley, a mezzo I had seen in small roles in Chicago many times back in the 90s and was thrilled to see in a leading role in New York.

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Here's the best number from *Trouble In Tahiti.* That's island magic!

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