The last performance we had gone to see as part of our Arts in NYC seminar has been La Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera. The first word that comes to mind in describing the performance would be grandiose. Everything at the Met was over the top large, expensive, and dramatic- the building and interior, the people, and the opera itself. It was at the same time both enjoyable and revolting. I felt out of place among the people wearing furs and gowns and diamonds, and I did not particularly feel gripped by the performance. While the singing and the music has been truly spectacular, plot and acting could have been better. In class we have discussed certain instances during the play when the actors or the production messed up- for example the paintbrush incident. Puccini has also stripped the plot of many important scenes and political play. While I understand he has done so to avoid politics at such a politically unstable time and to make the play appeal to a wider audience I felt like it took away from the plot greatly. The larger then life drama felt unrealistic and un-relatable, and the character that was most fun to watch was the villain. I would like to repeat that the singing and the music have been amazing, and are the part I enjoyed the most. Overall, I felt as if the point of opera to many people is to socialize during the long intermissions rather then actually watching the opera, and while it was enjoyable to a point, I doubt I would go on my own, unless the performance seemed very interesting. I am glad to have gone to the opera to experience what it is, but it just does not seem like something I would go out of my way to do again.