Opera at Chiesa All Saints or Metodista?
 

Has anyone attended Rome opera performances at either of these locations:
Chiesa Angelicana Di All Saints or Chiesa Metodista?

We will be in Rome on Apr 22, 23 and 24 and trying to decide if either of these would be worthwhile.

We're opera novices but thought the Puccini arias in Lucca at Basilica Di San Giovanni were amazing. Our ideal would be something similar lasting an hr or less.

http://www.classictic.com/en/Opera-i...rt/12004/71704

In Rome the students of the Rome opera company often stage concerts at St. Paul-within-the-Walls. They are both excellent and inexpensive.

Thank you so much LJ- I just looked at St Paul's website. So maybe we'll go there...
Does anyone have an opinion on the other venues? It looks like we couldn't go wrong with any of them.
LJ- do you know of a restaurant with good food within walking distance of St Paul's?
Thank you!

If my experience is typical, the performance at All Saints (Ognisanti) are bare bones -- smaller orchestra and chorus, limited costumes and sets, but the whole (or only slightly truncated) opera. For neophytes who hesitate to spring for the $100 tickets to the opera house, the $30 version might be fine. I would not recommend it for aficionados, though.
No reserved seating, as I recall, and the back of the church had very uncomfortable chairs, so get there early.

All Saints is an English Anglican church (actually part of Church of England - Diocese of Europe) and St Paul's is an US Episcopalian church. Both churches, together with the Methodist church in Rome, hold frequent concerts and operas, hosting minor opera companies (mostly semi-professional) without an opera house of their own. As an opera venue, both are quite small so you get a very intimate view of grand operas. Lovely acoustics too. Certainly worth going for an experience.
http://www.accademiadoperaitaliana.it/index.html

Trattoria Abruzzesse is very good, quite authentic of the region, and rght around the corner from St. Paul-within-the-Wall and across the piazza from the Teatro della Opera on Via Viminale. Now, having said that it has been two years since we were there so if you have any trouble finding it or a substitute, try the nice concierge at Hotel Sonya (on Via Viminale also-its where all the opera singers stay-good fun).

Thanks so much everyone for the additional info and thanks LJ for the restaurant recommendation. I will post back about our opera experience.
The performance that mesmerized us in Lucca was very simple with no orchestra or costumes- just solo singers and a pianist.