Here we go again: it's autumn, and yesterday I saw Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias to Frédéric Chopin's music, originally made for Florida Ballet in 1994. However, this performance was based on the Boston Ballet version of 2004.

It was drizzling and a rainbow arched over the Opera House when I came. A promising start.

The main bar had been moved to a new place, which at first seemed an improvement. During the first intermission it seemed less successful. There were two self-service buffet tables with cakes and coffee, etc. The actual bar with alcoholic beverages behind them had one very long queu. In the end it worked well, and people seemed to get whatever they wanted quicker than before. But for someone like me who only decides what to take while queuing it was a bit frustrating. Anyhow, I went to the booze queu, but standing there I noticed in the buffet, now devoid of customers, orange juice, and moved over to get a glass of it. All's well that ends well, but the old system suited me better.

As for the ballet, it was difficult to follow the plot, as familiar as it is. It took me half the first act to find out who was Marguerite (Linda Haakana in this performance) and Armand (Michal Krčmář): Marguerite was the one with a broad stripe in her dress, and Armand was the man with her. In the second act with new dresses it was repeated, and in the third...

The programme booklet wrote about great emotions, but I wonder if one would have been aware of them if one didn't know the story in advance. It was all very pretty and nice, but great emotions? The end did move me, though. But the best for me was Melancholie sung in the second act by Aki Alamikkotervo and in the third by Anna-Kristiina Kaappola. Actually, I could think of watching it a second time, but I doubt if I'll remember it in five years.

When it was time to leave it was pouring with rain, and I had optimistacally pumps and no umbrella. But walking fast I didn't get too wet.