Salomé a bit of a let down.

We saw the COC's production of Strauss' Salomé last night and were, on the whole, disappointed. The singing was fabulous, and I particularly Alan Held's Jochanaan (John the Baptist) and Erika Sunnegardh in the role of Salomé. But one expects great voices and orchestral accompaniment from this company.

What didn't work for me, surprisingly, was the direction. I normally like pretty much anything that comes through the hands of Atom Egoyan, both his films and his plays. This was my first time seeing this opera and I kind of didn't get it, I guess. There was a mixture of business suits and Roman attire. A very stark set. Projected images that, while interesting, seemed dated. It was all very...eclectic.

Now, it's not the modernity that did me in. I loved Peter Sellars' production of Tristan und Isolde earlier in the season. I'm a relatively new opera goer of only a handful of years. Perhaps I'm just starting to find my bearings.

Photos: Canadian Opera Company