The 2014-2015 opera season in Detroit has started! Saturday was opening night, and the Richard Strauss opera
Elektra is the first opera of the season.
Elektra is the story of a woman who is determined to kill her mother (Klytemnestra) and her mother's lover (Aegisth) for murdering her father (Agamemnon). She enlists the help of her brother (Orest), but her sister (Chrysothemis) just wants a normal life with a husband and children. Elektra's family tree looks something like this (she and her siblings are all the way at the bottom):
The scrim was painted to look like the family tree scrawled on a chalkboard.
The opera is quite interesting in that it is presented in one act with no intermission. Elektra is on stage through the entirety of the opera. It requires a soprano with great stamina and vocal range. Christine Goerke was fabulous as Elektra. Seriously sublime.
Elektra is a nicely "heavy" opera in the sense that it is both a tragedy and the music is kind of bombastic and grand. I always describe this kind of music as the kind that "makes you feel like your stomach is being pulled out through your nose." I felt slightly wrung out after the opera. Love it!
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| Elektra's dress is all bloody! |
The opera house was showcasing some of the costumes from this season, including
Elektra,
Madame Butterfly, and
The Merry Widow.
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| I'm looking forward to The Merry Widow for the costumes alone. |
Now, because this is a beauty blog, here are some photos of the makeup I wore on my face:
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| I'm not sure what happened with the lips in this picture. |
On the eyes: Darling Girl loose pigment in Jeweled Taupe on the moving lid
from the LORAC PRO Palette
-- mix of Mauve and Sable in the crease
-- Nude in the inner corner by the tear duct
-- Cream under the brow
Physicians Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner liquid liner in Ultra Black
Tarina Tarantino Hyperliner eyeliner in Tommy Jet on the lower lashline
L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara
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| Blurry to show the sparkle! |
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| from left: DGC Jeweled Taupe (swatch over Fyrinnae Pixe Epoxy because that's how I wore it), LORAC PRO Palette Mauve, Sable, Nude, Cream |
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| Look at that sparkle! |
P.S. Pardon the super shiny forehead -- I remebered to apply my Mally Poreless Face Defender AFTER I took the pics, and I didn't have time to retake the photos. I don't retouch my photos either (unless I'm attempting to make the colors more true to life).
Cheeks: NYX Powder Blush in Taupe to contour under the cheekbones
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush
Lips: YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Opera Rose (of course)
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| from left: NYX Taupe blush, Hourglass Luminous Flush blush, YSL Opera Rose lipstick |
I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to take any photos of my husband and my parents. Boooooo. Next time for sure!
Elektra got rave reviews, and rightly so. It was amazing.
