Madam, - In 1990 I attended my first opera at the Gaiety Theatre - Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten. Shortly before this, I had the inspirational experience of playing the four orchestral interludes from this opera in concert with the National Youth Orchestra under Hugh Maguire, and I set off determined to hear these wonderful works in their original context. Imagine my consternation when, during these astonishingly crafted works of orchestral brilliance, the curtain came down, the house lights went up, ice-cream sellers emerged and the audience used these seminal moments to catch up on the latest chit-chat, go to the toilet, adjust make-up, etc.
Attending both opening nights of the current Anna Livia Opera Festival gave me my first opportunity to asses the results of the "complete refurbishment" of the Gaiety Theatre earlier this year.
Despite €7.5 million of public money invested in this privately-owned theatre, many significant problems persist. Acoustics for opera are poor: little natural support is offered to singers onstage or to the orchestra in the pit. Soundproofing between the theatre and front-of-house is virtually non-existent. The sound of glasses and bottles at the bar provides a familiar counterpoint to the musical entertainment onstage. Audience and staff collude in the belief that overtures and musical interludes are handy opportunities to usher in late-comers and stragglers. Clunky and noisy seats add greatly to this process.
The sale of ridiculously over-priced ice-creams and sweets provides ideal ways for audiences to contribute noisily to the tender moments of the performance. Some entrances to toilets are directly from the auditorium.
The theatre retains its rigid class structure whereby those with expensive seats in the dress circle get a wide staircase with carpet, while less desirable types who go to the grand and upper circle have a dingy path to their seats.
How much longer before Dublin has a theatre that is a suitable home for opera? - Yours, etc,
FERGUS SHEIL,
Mornington,
Co Meath.