This year's production of Verdi's Il Trovatore featured tin-foil looking swords, which performers clashed against each other out of sync with the orchestra--the swords were actually quite heavy, as I tested it backstage during a tour. (I would have loved dragging it around the city. Along with my cape.)Contrast this with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Tom Strini's review of La Cenerentola which had much more space to work with but failed to mention the crashing set on the stage.
Opera isn't just about the music, and those elements which detract from the complete performance should not be ignored. The prospective ticket holder deserves no less than an honest review.
