Before you even step out of the house, have you ever woken up thinking, “oh man, today is really going to suck!” Well, that was my first impressions of opera. I imagined fat people in elaborate gowns reaching glass-shattering notes in a performance I could not at all relate to. My view immediately changed after reading what would be part of Act I in Contes D’Hoffman. The story was fantastic, and the opera was just as amazing.

I loved it.

I adored it.

The music was beautiful.

The music was one of my favorite parts, since I could not understand the words (which was not as big of a problem as I thought it would be) the instruments and singing blended together in my ears, creating a harmony that was always varied. Sometimes the music was merry and sometimes it was as dramatic as the actions taking place.

In addition to the music, I found the costumes very interesting. The first act had more modern costumes than those in acts II and III, which were large, intricate gowns. The latter costumes reminded me again of my view of traditional opera.

I think this different in costume was important because it highlighted the difference between traditional opera and emerging ideas of opera. The first act itself felt more modern than the songs and dress of acts II and III. There was also less movement in the later acts and more of a focus on singing. Even though I really liked it, I felt that I related more to the first act and the prologue. It was cute, fun, and even the colorful scenery caught my eye and added to this impression.

The opera itself did a good job relating to a young audience. After having my longest day of classes and not even close to a satisfying amount of sleep, I was able to stay awake and fully engaged the entire time. And, as far as I know, the rest of the class stayed awake. That really means a lot. For such an old art form, I find it can easily relate to young generations. The story itself is something many people can relate to, it narrates a man’s experience in finding love. There are times when we think he is foolish, times when we pity him and times that we do not understand. We can connect to Hoffman.

As for the performance itself, I can see how younger audience members would not connect as much. There are so many aspects of the performance: reading the subtitles and correlating them to the actions, listening to the singing and music, and just understanding a confusing part (like stealing the reflection, what was all that about??). In other words, there becomes so much to observe that it may be overwhelming. But at the same time I find it very enjoyable. If one does not like classical music they can focus on the costumes of the play, or the scenery, or one of a bunch of other aspects.

Even though it is in another language it can easily speak to a younger generation because it is a beautiful work of art. However, I must point out that in order for me to enjoy the opera, I could not be daring and shut off the translation. I needed it to understand and enjoy the performance. Perhaps someone who does not like reading subtitles would not enjoy the opera as much as I did. Either way, I look forward to my next opportunity to go to the opera. Hopefully I will be fully energized and I can wear a fancy gown like all the older women we saw there, wouldn’t that be exciting?