April 29, 2000: Martinu, The Greek Passion
Covent Garden Theatre (evening), based on a novel by Katzanzakis
A wonderful cast-of-thousands opera performed on a huge multilevel set on a revolve. Stark yet lush music, wonderful choruses, standout principal voices, the whole shebang. My second time in my life inside Covent Garden Theatre. Years ago, I saw Handel’s Samson there. This, the refurbished new opera house, is splendid in every way, and still redolent, despite new paint everywhere, of the old theaters that successively stood on this site.