ISO: ISO menu ideas for pre-opera dinner on Saturday - it's a 4 hour performance..

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heather_in_sf

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Tristan und Isolde, and I need to serve something that won't put everyone to sleep during the second act, which in itself is 2 1/2 hours long!

Please let me know what menu ideas/recipes that would be filling and yet light enough so as not to induce a food coma later in the evening.

FYI - I'm cooking dinner for my parents who are attending the opera, I'm going out dancing later instead!

TIA!

 
Ahhh, the Wagner Repertoire...

Can I first tell you how jealous I am that your opera company is doing Tristan und Isolde??? I live in what is considered a "German" town and we rarely see Wagner at the opera. Go figure.

Since you can't do this in true Bayreuth fashion (cocktails and hors d'ouevre before and a course between each act), and based on my experience of getting through American marathons of Wagner such as you are going through, here is what I suggest:

Heavy hors d'ouevre. Been there done that. If you eat the big dinner before you'll want to go to sleep. You need to arrive at the opera house with your growling tummies quieted but nowhere near sated, you need to eat something light afterwards.

I've been known to tuck a little sandwich into my pocket for the second intermission. Actually, once in Chicago, I spread out a full picnic in a corner and had envious looks from all the hungry opera goers. But seriously, a little bag of precious sandwiches will be greeted with glee, and you can tuck them into a very small bag.

I would also suggest a cocktail with some caffeine beforehand. Or just coffee or tea if they don't do cocktails. Most people will need the stimulant to get through those 4 hours.

And since you're ditching the parents afterwards, make reservations for them at a nice place to fill the void that will have developed in between the Prelude and the Liebestod. A nice light meal afterwards would be the perfect conclusion.

Big meals before Wagner do not work.

And enjoy yourself!

 
Ah Richard, have to share what happened during my first Tristan und Isolde - I had heavy champagne

and no appies, as I was hosting guests for the Opera (used to work there). I had put in 9 hours of work before the curtain, also, and it was very warm in the box level, and of course, dark, the music was lovely and before you know it I was getting dozy. I smiled graciously to my guests, dug my nails into my palm, did quiet deep breathing and during the second act almost died trying to stay awake!

However, I attended 4 full cycles of the Ring when we had it here in 1999 and never got sleepy! think it was more rousing musically for me.... My first opera was Meistersinger and it was wonderful, but 5 hours! I'm a Wagner fan through and through, mostly because of our wonderful maestro Donald Runnicles - he's magical at the podium. You should come out sometime before he leaves SF Opera (in 2009) and hear him!

My parents are pros though, and I like your suggestions, perhaps a light supper with demitasse and I'll leave them snacks in the fridge for the post performance discussion and program reading at chez heather...

 
How lucky you are...

I've been out to SF several times and could never get opera tickets. Must do better planning.

And since we're sharing "need to sleep in the theatre" moments...

I left Graz, Austria, on Thursday morning, took the train to London and arrived on Friday evening. Found my way through Victoria Station and the train to Gatwick, got on line for the Saturday People's Express (remember those days!?!?!?!) flight to NYC for $99!, managed to get on the Saturday afternoon flight with a good friend of John-John's (and she SAID she would introduce me to Jackie when we got settled in NYC), arrived in NYC IN THE AFTERNOON, mingled with friends, went to the Juilliard Orchestra concert that evening in Alice Tully Hall, and by that time, I was a dirty comatose zombie. I was only 23 and thought I could do it, mid-way through the second half I excused myself, told my friends where I would be and that they needed to come get me, walked out of the hall, lay myself down on the carpet in a corner under the water coolers, and went to sleep. I was dead and could have slept anywhere, and I'm a light sleeper! Luckily the friends came out and found me, pulled me up, and whisked me away to bed. I slept for 14 hours. Three days with no sleep can do that to you!

By the by...we've been looking longingly at getting tickets for Bayreuth, but after the descriptions of this year's festival, no AC, temps in the 90s at the 5:30 curtain, and the descriptions of the sweltering furnace the opera house became before the first act was finished, I just don't think I can do it. The Bavarian Radio story referred to the sweltering box of humanity (the perfume, the sweat, the mothballs, the heavy breathing...) as the "Bayreuth Smell"

Ugh. I know it's a temple. But I just don't think I could do it in full evening dress. I threatened to get tickets and have t-shirt and gym shorts under my tails so that I could strip at my seat and tuck them under it. Wouldn't that go over!

 
Richard, I've only attended one Wagner opera, "The Flying Dutchman"...

It was a beautiful rendition and I loved it, and I realize that it's child's play compared to other Wagner operas, but I fell asleep at the end anyway because we had grabbed sub-par hero sandwices on awful bread on the way there. What a shame!

Your suggestions are apt for any long performance.

 
A thought...

Hi Heather!

What about a cioppino, or other chunky fishy soup (protein to stave off hunger) (I have a couple of recipes), good whole wheat bread (no sugar crash), and salad that includes chick peas (more protein). For an appetizer, some tofu or ricotta blended with ranch dressing packet and veggies or pita chips, for dessert a nice bittersweet chocolate truffle.

Have fun!
Debbie

 
Thank you everyone, I'm thinking seafood will be perfect with a salad...

and I may do both crab salad and cioppino! My DB makes a wonderful cioppino and I have his recipe (or method, as it were). guess it all depends what looks good at the fish market tomorrow morning as to what I do. Love the ideas though, thanks so much!

Now I wish I was going to the Opera... Richard, if you need help with getting tickets for your next visit please let me know, I still have friends in the box office!

Thanks everyone!

 
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