La Forza Del Destino

This September Teatro Alla Scala from Milano are performing in Japan with Rigoletto and La Forza del Destino, both by Verdi. Especially in La Forza there are many people on stage, and they needed many extras. An request was sent to the western embassies, and reached me by a mailing list. Since I'm interested in opera and curious in what goes on behind the stage I volunteered.

The opera is a tragedy taking place about 150 years ago in Europe. I play a Spanish soldier in an Italian war, and a peasant in a tavern.


Peasant	Soldier

No singing is required, and only fairly simple acting. However, since the stage is packed with people you have to keep to the rehearsed positions.

Since there are so many people there is little need to be nervous, even though there has been a full house (4000 people) on all four performances. There is lots of waiting time, and many people working behind the stage which you never notice; dressers, choir masters, prop masters, stage workers and so on. It has been a chance to work with something completely different from computers, and besides getting some experience and money, it gave me a chance to hear lots of nice music. Maybe I will do it again next year...

Johan

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