The piece was great from the opening, with the only really disagreeable moments being the solo English Horn and Oboe passages (drawn out waaaaay too much, as if the double reeds had scandalous photos of the director and were using them as bargaining chips).

I found the quote here, a new blog to me.

Scrolling down, I also found this:

Last week I got to go to Die Walkure at the Met. The Met kills me. Every inch of the place is gilded or onate. The musicians are paid as much as musicians in top orchestras, but they play a smaller variety of music much more frequently. So they look bored half the time. The clientele couldn’t be older and stuffier, but I guess that’s what comes from having your attraction be opera and having your tickets start in triple digits. Most of them could’ve been friends with Maria Callas growing up…that’s how old they are.

Heh.