Meet Claudia Vogel who has
kindly agreed to being Opera Couch's first-ever guest blogger.
Claudia -- or Clia -- is a communications expert specializing in texts that are understandable for everyone, especially those without formal or
higher education, people with learning or language difficulties or people
suffering from dementia.
She gives workshops and
develops in-house concepts for "barrier-free" communication within
companies.
For the first-ever Opera Couch, Staatstheater Mainz has generously agreed to make available two tickets for a performance of Don Giovanni in a new staging by Tilman Knabe.
Clia, what are
your musical interests?
That changes constantly. As
a child, I loved Mozart. My current favourite is Vaughan Williams.
Last winter I was totally
obsessed with Naji Hakim. And in the summer I became huge fan of Florence and
the Machine.
I never had
the opportunity to really get involved with music. A lot of what I discover is
through friends. And nowadays YouTube is a good way to explore and get to know
new music. A few mouse-clicks and a whole new sound world opens up to
you.
Do you sing or play
an instrument?
No, unfortunately not. My
mum was a single mum, so there was never enough money for music lessons.
That was always the cause of a drama and tears at the start of every new school year, right
through until I was teenager. But there was nothing that we could do about
it.
Later on, I never found an
opportunity to learn to play an instrument or take singing lessons because I
was too tied up with my job.
Do you have any
experience of opera?
I like opera, but it's not part of my everyday life.
What operas have you
seen? What did you like about them and what didn't you like?
We saw Freischütz at
school because it was part of the curriculum in
Bavaria. At uni, one of my fellow students dragged me to see Salome
in Frankfurt. And I shared a flat with a directors' assistant at the Staatstheater
Wiesbaden where I got to see Die Zauberflöte and Eugen
Onegin. In that respect, you could say I developed a bit of a
taste for opera.
I also saw Carmen once but I walked out at the interval. I can't remember why.
Nowadays I watch opera on
YouTube or on television. I recently learned about a livestream from Munich via Twitter. That is something I'll have to keep more of an eye out
for in future.
As for live opera, I live
in Wiesbaden where the audience is too conservative for my taste. I
simply don't feel comfortable there.
What is it that
prevents you from going to opera? What would have to change so that you would
go more frequently?
I'd need more free time so
that getting there wouldn't be so much of a problem.
With Opera Couch,
you'll be seeing Don Giovanni in Mainz. Will you prepare for it in any way? How?
I've read a few
reviews so far. I hope I'll be able to watch the trailer on the
website beforehand so as to have a better idea what it's all
about.
If there is
an introductory talk will you go?
I won't be able to make
it.
One of the most
frequent complaints is that opera is too stiff and too formal and the audience
is too snobby. Do you think people should dress up to go to the opera, or
should they go in jeans and a T-shirt if they want to?
I think the
most important thing is to feel comfortable, both in yourself and in what
you're wearing. Otherwise you won't really be able to enjoy it.
What do you hope to
gain from Opera Couch?
To be honest, I asked to go
on Opera Couch because I liked the idea of doing something special before my
next birthday. Something I wouldn't normally get to do.
