Fire Alarm Causes Evacuation of Building - 10/29/2003

Ten minutes into Act I of Wednesday’s Don Carlos performance, the love duet was interrupted by incongruous strobe lights and the moaning wail of the fire alarm. Realizing that this could be a real emergency and not just the sound that Supers make when they’ve been cut from a scene, our cool and professional Stage Manager made the announcement for everyone to evacuate immediately.

Veteran Supers all know that this is the only time that they can mix with the audience while in full makeup and costume. Unsuspecting opera-goers assume that we are all singers, if not exactly stars, and eagerly request photographs and even autographs. Grandee Mike Harvey was asked by one bejeweled lady, “It’s a bomb scare, don’t you think? She then added after she noticed his velvet cape, “By the way, which one are you?” Of course the answer to that question could be pondered for many hours.

After twenty minutes the alarm was determined to be false and the show restarted just as Don Carlos is impressing Elisabeth with his survival skills:

A la guerre, ayant pour tente le ciel bleu ramassant ainsi la fougère on apprend à faire du feu. Voyez! De ces cailloux a jailli l'étincelle et la flamme brille à son tour.

Au camp, lorsque la flamme est ainsi vive et belle elle announce, dit-on, la victoire ou l'amour.

(This is how one builds a fire in time of war.
The sparks flew from these pebbles and now the flames leap up.
Soldiers say such flames foretell victory or love.)

The audience roared when this line appeared as a supertitle:

"I wish I could build you a little fire!"

More Fire Alarm photos

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Sister Mary Jo Kearns, RSM, of the Mount St. Mary House of Prayer in Watchung, New Jersey, attended the performance with two friends and sent this in:

The opera I witnessed with Barbara and Joan

  was Don Carlos  by Verdi -- in French it was shown.

Surprise! Just ten minutes into the show,

  the unthinkable happened, and wouldn't you know?!

The alarm for the fire rang out loud and clear

  Elizabeth and Carlos stopped singing to hear.

The audience calmly walked out to the street;

  No pushing or shoving or trampling of feet.

When "all clear" was signaled we each took our seat;

  the opera went on without missing a beat.

Don Carlos sang out with a voice true and clear

   the very next lines to Elizabeth dear:

"I wish I could build a fire for you,

   to keep you warm, as the soldiers do."

The audience laughed -- a spontaneous joke!

  And 'Don Carlos' bowed to the cheers of the folk.