FIELDTRIP! to the Semperoper

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce you to one of the most beautiful structures in one of the world's most beautiful cities. Dear readers, meet the Semperoper ...


This is actually the third incarnation of Dresden's world-renowned opera house. The first, called the Hoftheater, was built in 1841 by German architect Gottfried Semper (who also designed Dresden's beloved synagogue).

This theater was an eclectic mishmash of Renaissance, Baroque and Corinthian styles that was destroyed by fire 28 years after its completion in 1869.

Dresdners insisted Semper head up the reconstruction — the problem being that Semper was in exile. In 1849 he had played a major part in the May Uprising in Dresden, a violent and failed attempt by the people of Saxony to "encourage" their king, Friedrich Augustus II, to adopt a constitution that would unify Germany as a constitutional monarchy. Since he wasn't allowed in town, Semper drew up the plans himself and commissioned his son, Manfred Semper, to oversee the construction.

The new, Neo-Renaissance version was finished in 1878. This one lasted 67 years, at which point, the Allies turned it to dust along with the rest of the Old City in the notorious Feb. 13, 1945, firebombing of Dresden.

The third incarnation of Dresden's opera house, which is nearly identical to the second incarnation, reopened on the 40-year anniversary of the bombing, Feb. 13, 1985. And this is the incarnation Jake and I got to visit last night on Poor People Appreciation Night at the Semperoper. (OK, that's not really what it was called, but all the tickets, which usually cost upwards of 100 Euros, only cost 10 Euros a pop, so, basically, it was plebian night.)

This was an especially good opportunity for us because the Semperoper does not offer tours. If you want to see the inside, you have to go to a performance. And the inside, we can now attest, is worth seeing.


This is the second floor hallway where they served champagne during intermission. The chandeliers were awesome.


Not to mention all the paintings on the ceiling.



The theater itself is also (of course) breathtaking. And, yes, we had seats on the floor thanks to Jake courageously waiting outside in line a month ago to land tickets.




Here's Jake with our adorable Italian friends Angela (who's in the same Ph.D. group with Jake) and her boyfriend Giovanni.


Oh yeah, and there's me.


This is before I got a splitting headache after three hours of plotless opera. And before you judge me to be an Idaho bumpkin who wouldn't know culture if it spanked me (which isn't a terribly inaccurate judgment, I'll be honest), have you ever seen "Peter Grimes"? Guy's apprentice dies. Everybody thinks guy did it, but guy gets off. Guy gets another apprentice, kills him, then kills himself. Now imagine it performed by a bunch of homely, obese people in jeans and T-shirts and no set to speak of in some jacked-up, post-modern interpretation. The music was good, but it was better if your eyes were closed.

Or if you directed your attention up.


Yeah, I guess I can't complain.



JEM