Cosi coughing tonight

[Geoff]

Just out of Cosi at Covent Garden. Outstanding was Daniel Behle holding us spellbound with 'Un aura amorosa': a rather lively young crowd fell completely silent as (at last) there was some really great singing (no need to take my word for it, see other comments here: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/your-reaction-what-did-you-think-of-mozarts-cosi-fan-tutte )

 

Just at this point a woman in the amphitheatre started coughing. And coughing. And coughing. From the sound of it she made no attempt to muffle the sound (perhaps she couldn't leave the auditorium but surely she could at least have put her face in her sleeve or something?) She stopped, eventually, just around the point he stopped singing the aria. The whole thing was spoiled.

 

The reason I am posting is not because of her and her coughing (maybe she was new to the opera house, new to opera, new to music, retarded or in the throws of something maddeningly painful): I am posting because I want to know why those around her did nothing to help. A shush could have made her think; the offer of a scarf to cough into might actually have deadend the sound; thumping her with a programme would probably have been illegal but possibly effective.

 

In any case the musical highlight was ruined. Bravo Behle (as someone shouted at the end), particularly for not losing focus against an appalling distraction.

[Sim]

I'd have gone with the thumping option!

[MAB]

Yes it was a bad night for coughing but I was next to a fidgeter, just as annoying.