Concert in Venice

This isn't exactly what you asked but one of our absolute highlights from one of our visits to Venice was a shoestring production of Puccini's La Boheme, done at St. John the Evangelist Church by some chorus members of La Fenice. I was moved to tears, it was so beautiful, in particular the soprano was phenomenal.

On the flip side, we went to some absolutely god-awful concerts in Lucca done by some students at a local opera school. Horrible.

Thank you for the feedback so far (and Michael, that's definitely the sort of thing I'm looking for- the kinds of performances that truly strike you- so I appreciate that tip! I remember a play I saw in one of the smaller spaces in the National Theater in London almost 10 years ago that had tears streaming down my face at the end!) I've read some posts in which people talked about performances in churches in Venice that left them with chills they were so good, so I am hoping to find that sort of experience, whatever form it takes!

There are concerts and some operas performed in the old palacios. Most hotels will have information--we attended Barber of Seville on our last trip and it was quite good. The opera was performed by candlelight which made for a great atmosphere. We were not lucky enough to be in Venice for an opera at La Fenice but this was not a bad substitute. We reserved ahead but it did not seem to be necessary when we got there.

We went to concerts in the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and in the Frari church. The highlight, at the Frari, was the beginning of the concert, where about eight men stood in a circle and sang Gregorian chant. Well worth the price of admission!