An Opera? Sounds boring. Well that’s what I first thought when I read it on the syllabus. However, I was so happy that we had the great opportunity to even go to such a wonderful Opera even though I got home at 1 am!

Walking down the streets to get to Lincoln Center, I was kind of tired but still excited to see what I would encounter that night. First off, Lincoln center was BEAUTIFUL at night and I was sad that I had never been to it before. “A place like this exists in NY?”; I thought to myself. Well, watching all the fancy people walk in and the beautiful chandeliers also made me feel very “cultured”. The atmosphere was very inviting.

I didn’t know how I would like the opera since it was in German and I have trouble enjoying things I cant understand even if there are subtitles. Yet, even though it was in German I felt like I could relate to the emotions of the performers and still enjoyed it even with subtitles.

I felt like the whole opera was not as traditional as I expected it to be (in a good way). In the first act, we get introduced to Hoffman, a guy we feel pity for as he is desperate for love. I think that this character is universal and relates to everyone that was watching the opera. Its like we feel obliged to watch and see where his love story goes. I definitely enjoyed the first act the most because I thought it was the most engaging and cheerful one. The costumes and set design were so uplifting that I felt drawn in even though we were all the way in the back. Furthermore, I liked the choreography of the different characters on stage although I would’ve liked more dancing throughout the whole opera. However, one thing that I was disturbed by was the almost naked women on stage! I felt that this was a bit TOO modern and VERY unnecessary. I wondered how the older audience felt about those costumes as well.

I felt like the second act was kind of gloomy and honestly it was hard for me to keep my eyes open. Its possible this is because it was getting later in the night but I was wide awake for the entirety of the first act so I’m not so sure. I loved the elegant dress that Antonia wore and her singing was very beautiful as well. I thought this act was on the more traditional side which I thought the opera needed to have some of so I did appreciate that. I think that a younger audience member such as myself would enjoy at least a little bit of traditional opera just because it’s classic. Personally, I don’t think that opera has to go too far from its more traditional form as Contes D’Hoffman showed. I felt like this opera had a perfect blend of traditional and modern opera to entertain all ages.

I don’t have the habit of sleeping that late so I must say during the third act, my eyes being forced to close. I did fight it, however, and thought the storyline overall was kind of crazy. This is actually a good thing because I wanted to know what would happen next in Hoffman’s unpredictable life. One thing that I think would help young adults appreciate the opera more is if it were at earlier times! That was one of the biggest problems I had with the show; it was way too late for me. I also feel like if opera directors publicized more it would help young people to explore opera. I never saw an opera ad or even heard of one and feel like the advertisers need to do a better job. If it wasn’t for Arts in NYC, I would’ve missed out on such a wonderful piece as many of my fellow teens already have.

Ok so my Tuesday starts with an 8:00 lecture class, staying in school the whole day, and  not knowing how I will stay awake for Contes D’ Hoffman.  I was not only awake, but I was engaged the entire time; despite the fact that I was awake for eighteen hours straight I can not reflect on this opera with any angst.  It was definitely a great way to start off and remember my first opera experience.

I want to start off with the background story of the production.  You would think when someone does a production taken from the 1800s that it would immediately be boring. In fact it was not, I think that the storyline of Offenbach’s work can be used for years to come.  How someone falls in love for a person and it usually goes wrong, I mean how many times do we see this on the TV screen.  I think that operas that show productions along this line will achieve their goal of drawing the younger audience.  We are always interested  in plots that involve this subject because it keeps us alert.  I think this was one of the reasons that this opera would be good for a young audience.  It would draw the youth and narrow the age gap of the audience so that it is not just the “graying” Americans that view great works.  I think that the story line was a huge factor that allowed me to stay attentive for three and a half hours.

So I understood the story line and another thing I noticed immediately was the stage setting.  I know critics have discussed heavily about the importance of stage setting in an overall production.  Based on readings, I wondered what would critics think of this stage, whether it was too distracting or just right.  Even though the stage was elaborate and decorative, I still was able to concentrate on the opera.  The curtains were very ornamented and fluffy in a way as well. I felt that the stages for the opera needed to be large because it was fitting to  the large theater.  The elements of the stage were also very detailed such as the tavern  The tavern displayed a very realistic appearance, one that I would imagine in a movie. These elements were fascinating and what amazed me is how fast the transitions of settings were made. Some occurred while singing was done which amazed me at how efficient and quick each setting was made contributing to the flow of the opera.

One element of the opera that I felt was needed to draw any young audience and myself to the work were the performers.  To be honest if the performers were your stereotypical fat lady singing, as a young audience I might not of given this opera a chance at all.  The performers were relatively young and alive which made me interested and kept me awake. I think the young performers were key because when I watch a young  performer I am interested because of the energy they have.  I was amazed at how they sang in French and how they knew the language so well.  The opera being sung in French kept me awake as well because the songs possess a rhythm because of the language.  This made songs such as Kleinzach very catchy and interesting.  They did not just do a usual “park and bark”, but spoke and sung with passion as if they were truly that character.  The character that played Hoffman sung with grief and anguish which made his role captivating and one to remember.

Lastly the costumes were also a very interesting way of expressing the storyline.  For instance, Hoffman’s costumes were always centered around black which emphasizes the constant grief he feels throughout the entire opera.  Another example is Giuletta’s costume which is a long deep dark red which can emphasize how seductive she is as a courtesan.  Ever since “The Taxi Driver”, I have been trying to analyze productions more carefully which is what I did for this production.  It made me intuitive towards the piece and overall enjoy my first opera experience all the more.

As part of a young audience, I first looked on the opera with such negativity.  I wanted the day to end so I could go home.  This opera appealed to me for so many reasons such as an interesting plot. The songs were not drawn out but just right and memorable. Overall my opera experience was eventful but definitely worth it.

Klick-klack…frick-frack! reverberated through my mind on my way home from The Metropolitan Opera.  As my first-time ever viewing an opera, I was a bit nervous about what to expect.  I  felt like I wouldn’t belong because I wasn’t as rich and royal as those who go to the opera often.  I expected a lot of dramatic old women carrying Chanel handbags and old men with top hats and Armani suits, and even though there were a few, the majority of the people there were ordinary people, like you and I.  I’d have to say that my favorite part about the opera was just looking at everyone around me.  I noticed a couple who was there on a date, and it seemed as if we were the only college students there–yay for Macaulay!

On my way out of the subway at 7:30 pm, I struggled to find Columbus Avenue, so I decided to follow the well-dressed people, assuming that they were headed in the same direction as me.  When I got there, I saw a huge bright, white building with lights everywhere and a lovely fountain in the middle.  I’ve always been a sucker for pretty fountains so I stopped for a moment and made sure to take a picture of the amazing landscape.  Once we all entered the opera, I couldn’t help but notice the huge gold curtain which was draped beautifully and every time it opened, I couldn’t help but think how cool it would be to have curtains like those in my house.

Before the opera began, we were given playbills that contained some really cool stuff like ads, upcoming events at the Met, and synopses of the acts, as well as those who donated to the opera and the actors.  At first, I wanted to read the synopses of the acts so that I would have an idea about what exactly was happening before I watched the opera, but I changed my mind because I wanted to see how well I would actually understand what was going on, given that there would be subtitles.

As I sat there watching the performance of Contes D’Hoffman, I found myself lost in the spectacular scenery, catchy songs, and intricate costumes that the subtitles were, for me, a plus.  I’m used to watching Bollywood films with subtitles so, it just felt normal for me.  The only thing I was really worried about was how I was going to stay away for three hours and forty minutes since I had been at school all day from 8:00 am.  Luckily, the opera was so amazing that I didn’t put my head down once, for fear on missing out on something great.

My favorite scene was definitely the prologue and act one because of all of the dancing, and the Kleinzach routine.  Olympia’s costume and the other robots’ costumes were gorgeous, innocent, and really added to the quirkiness of this act and their “father,” the scientist.  It almost felt like I was watching a scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory because of the long swirly pole on stage along with the lights and colors.  I thought this act was the most fun because it made the audience laugh at the Kleinzach routine, and Olympia’s singing every time her “battery” ran out and she needed to be tuned up again.  It was also entertaining because of the ballet dancing which was exceptional.  I also like the umbrellas with the eyes on it because they were really cute and they added to the funny nature of this act.

Overall, my favorite actress was Hoffman’s second love, Antonia, because her voice was beyond amazing.  I didn’t even know a sound like that could come out of a human being.  Her voice was flawless and she controlled it very well.  I didn’t mind that Antonia did a lot of the so-called “park and bark” because her voice was so astonishing that I just wanted to focus on that alone.

Hoffman also did a great job at his part in the opera and I was amazed that he was able to sing for so long with a short amount of breaks, so kudos to him for that.  Overall, the costumes were very fitting for this particular show.  Antonia’s dress was beautiful and flowing, which showed the looseness of her voice.  Giuletta’s dress was very form-fitting to show off her figure which also went very well with the character she was trying to play.

After the opera was over, I was so surprised at the time, 11:40 pm!  Even though the train ride home for me consisted of construction, a shuttle bus, and two hours of commuting, the opera was totally worth it.  I would definitely go back to see another opera, whether Macaulay funds it or not because I have to admit, that I liked it more than the Little Foxes we saw  a few weeks ago.  I think that if young people my age had the chance to experience opera, it would be appealing to them, but since operas are so expensive, it’s hard for schools to fund them.  We all thought that operas are snoozefests but now our minds have been changed and we can’t wait to go again.  However next time, I want to be just as dressed up as the older folk sitting in the front row–gown, binoculars, high-heels, and all!

Overall, I really enjoyed Contes D’Hoffman.  It was the first opera I’ve been to and it was amazing.  It totally contradicted any preconceived notions I had about opera.  I pictured opera as being on an empty, brown stage, with a fat woman standing in the middle screaming at the top of her lungs while the audience snored.  The Metropolitan Opera could not have been further from what I pictured.  The theater was just beautiful- I loved how the room was so big and bright and the chandeliers that beautifully hung overhead magically disappeared into the ceiling when the opera started.  I especially loved that massive gold curtain.  My favorite part of the opera may have been every time when the curtain opened.  The color and draping was just really pretty.

The performance itself was a major contrast from how I imagined it.  The stage was as far from the blah brown table I imagined it to be.  I loved the spectacle of it all- everything was big and bright and completely over the top.  I loved the old-fashioned ball gowns some women were wearing as well as the funny crowns the robots wore.  The first act was the easiest to follow, but that might have been because we read it in our Series packet.  It was just confusing how one minute the robot was dancing and singing and the next second someone brought her on stage in pieces, because I never saw her go off stage.  I think that might have been because in what we read there was only one robot talked about, but in the opera there were many identical robots.

I also liked how crazy and unbelievable the plot was.  At some points I found myself thinking “this is so stupid, there’s no way that could happen”, but most of the time I liked it because it was just so out there, like a completely different world.  Like Alice in Wonderland, they create these crazy plots that don’t make sense, but I love them anyway.

I thought the best singer was the second woman, Antonia.  At times in the second act I just closed my eyes and listened to the music.  While my initial reason for closing my eyes was because I was tired, once they were closed I was better able to appreciate the singing and music because I wasn’t distracted by the spectacle I enjoyed so much.

I think the reason the opera doesn’t appeal to people our age is because they, like me, have all these preconceived notions of how boring and awful the opera will be.  Another reason they might not like it is because it is sung in a different language.  That didn’t bother me because a) I don’t think I would have understood even if they sung it in English and b) I had a lot of fun putting on Spanish subtitles and seeing how much I could understand.  And even though I didn’t understand all the words, I understood enough to get the general idea of what was going on.

I was also really excited to catch an actor doing the “park and bark”, so I kept looking out for that and whispering loudly to my neighbors “oh look! I think they’re doing the park and bark.”

Overall I had a good time and wouldn’t even mind going again.  It was a really exciting night out.  The only thing I would say is that I feel the opera was a bit too long- three and a half hours and two intermissions!!  Are there always two intermissions so the actors can rest their voices, or was it only for this performance to break up the 3 stories of the 3 women?

Oh and can I just say my favorite part might have been finding the people dressed in ball gowns to come see the opera??  They got so fancy in gowns and fur coats and so elegant, while we, or at least I, was so not.  It was fun taking pictures of them for the photojournal.

Opera.  Breathtaking. Unbelievable. Extraordinary. And most importantly, free. Never had I imagined that something so high-class and over-the-top would be suited for me. It was like my first bite of Chicago deep-dish pizza. How could it compare to the standard New York thin crust pizza that I’m used to? It was like entering another dimension of complexity and bewilderment. Something I would never have tried without some sort of enticement. Free tickets did the job that night.

The opera was astounding and the memories of that night are still ringing bells as I write. Honestly, I would very much like to see another opera soon. I hope that the Macaulay Honors College can fund this one too. It would make it that much more enjoyable.

Contes D’Hoffman was a masterpiece. Especially the setting, it was artistically crafted, much like a perfectly baked French pastry. It was kind of like the croissant, the French’s gift to us Americans. Layers of flakey dough carefully folded and brushed with buttery goodness…

LOL. I am so getting ahead of myself. I apologize for my obsession over all things food.

I’ll stop before I start sounding like a food blogger, if I don’t already.

I admit that wasn’t necessarily a good allusion, but it did serve some purpose. The opera was in French after all, which I might note, did not cause any trouble for me at all and on the contrary, kept me more focused. Putting that aside, I really did enjoy the aesthetics of the stage and how the director chose to portray the each act. My favorite scene would have to be the introduction, when the curtains were first pulled open. The notes falling from the ceiling and onto the floor was so dramatic. It was a simple concept, as simple as tossing paper into the air, but it was so damn beautiful. However, I only started to really appreciate the vastness of the stage during Act II. Conceptually, I couldn’t imagine how one stage could fit an entire scene and actually make it look authentic. The barren forest was stunning. I did not care for the descending violin or trees, but the way the actors looked as they walked upstage was electrifying. It really did look like they were walking through a winding forest.

The production really did speak to me. I could feel the energy of the actors although I could not immediately understand them. They accentuated the hilarity of certain scenes and imposed seriousness on the audience when it was necessary. I really felt taken in by what feelings the actors were trying to convey. Whether it was ironic humor and dancing hunchbacks singing “flick flack” or public humiliation and robots that could dance ballet, the emotions of that night gave me goose bumps.

The theme was relatable to everyone in the audience, including both the older and younger generations. The story of love and heartbreak is something that transcends time. It is immortalized and is something that is brought up in everyday conversation. To live, learn, and love is what people are all about. Through our artistic culture and social backgrounds we emphasize and glorify stories of love, whether they result in success or failure.

Man it just so happens that every time we see a performance I wind up hating someone. I hated him.  I can’t really say whom because I don’t know his name. But I’m sure everyone knows whom I’m talking about.

Contes D’Hoffman really did show me how one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.

Contes D’Hoffman. French. I can do this. It’s gonna be great! In truth, it was great…not because I love French or anything like that, but it was a really interesting experience, and the plot, although confusing, was also interesting.

When we arrived, I was already exhausted, and couldn’t wait to sit down and relax. The beauty of the theater was completely overwhelming, and I caught myself more than once staring, open-mouthed at something beautiful. When Rebecca and I went to the shop and looked at all the beautiful pieces, my mouth dropped open once again upon seeing the price tags. $230 for a bracelet?! These people must be insane! Yet there were still people waiting on line to buy these expensive items. I couldn’t understand it. Anyways, we made our way to our seats, and had just moments to observe the lucky few who had their own box seats before the lights dimmed and the curtains rose.

All of a sudden, I felt myself transcend time into a place completely unfamiliar and strange. The lights, the movement, the music. All these things were common separately, but together they were an almost magical sensation, overwhelming my senses. As I settled into my seat, I fell into the grips of the opera, tearing me between Hoffman’s tragic love affairs. As a young adult, I felt compelled to relate to the heartbreak Hoffman felt after each one of his lovers turned out to be something he never expected. Although this was obviously on a greater level for him, everyone can think of a relationship in which the person they were with turned out to be someone other than who was expected. The repeated disappointments lead to a depression and a feeling of helplessness that most anyone can relate to. Especially the teenagers and young adults of my generation.

Most people my age would think opera? Why the hell would I go to one of those? Me personally, I like to experience things such as opera that everyone else turns their back on. I think most of the students in class were expecting something more boring and creepy, with fat ladies singing and such. I must say that, although I didn’t really expect to see fat ladies singing, I didn’t expect there to be such great emotion in the singing. The actors voices were definitely unimaginable, and they were incredible. It’s hard to imagine anyone could ever manipulate their voice like that. If people of my age group would try things before jumping to conclusions, and would go see an opera before deciding it’s not for them, then i definitely think that they would love opera. It was such a wonderful experience, and it was really powerful. It could capture anyone’s attention as long as they stay open-minded and try to understand the meanings of the songs. If you miss a split second, you get lost, and have no idea what’s going on. The opera moves so fast, and anyone with an attention span can keep up.

I would absolutely recommend that people of my generation should go see the opera, only so long as they are mature and are able to focus. The opera is not a place for childish and immature teenagers, but rather a place for sophisticated young adults.

A sandwich for ten dollars?!?!?!  I really did enter a fancy new world on Tuesday night.  To be serious though, the entire night was magical, from when I stepped out of the subway to when I stepped out of the opera.

When I reached the Metropolitan Opera, I felt like Giselle from Enchanted, when she stumbles out of the sewer and into Manhattan.  Like Giselle, I was enchanted by everything around me.  I was surrounded by buildings that twinkled with hundreds of lights.  I’d never been to the city so late before, and I saw on Tuesday how beautiful it could look.  The Met was also beautiful, and as I sat in my comfy seat and saw the enormous stage before me, I knew that I was in for quite a show.

One of the greatest mysteries of the night for me was how big the stage really was.  Every time I thought that I had guessed it, another layer of the stage would be exposed and I would see that there was even more scenery on that stage.  However, I didn’t mind because the scenery and the costumes were elaborate and kept me interested in the show.  I liked watching everyone parade around in fancy dresses that no one wears anymore.  I also liked the props, such as the umbrellas with eyes painted on them that everyone danced with.  What I didn’t like was watching a bunch of partially naked women on the stage.  I don’t even know what that was about.  Maybe the sexuality was an attempt to reach out to a more modern audience.  If it was, I don’t think that it was a very successful attempt.  As far as I know, many people were turned off by the nudity.  Metropolitan Opera, if you are reading this, colorful costumes and fantastic scenery (such as the dragon in Act 1) are a great way to lure young audience members, not nudity.

Including the dance that used the eye umbrellas, I enjoyed the big dance and music numbers in the beginning and the end of the show.  I liked these numbers because almost the entire cast performed in these numbers, and I thought that the cast had great synergy. Everyone’s voices blended together perfectly to create the comical mood of the song.  There was also a lot of jolly music and playful acting involved.   My favorite part was when the actors bent to the ground as if they were midgets and danced.  Some of my favorite lines were spoken in this part, such as “frick frack” and “klick klack”.  I also liked it when the entire cast yelled, “Drink! Drink! Drink!”  I think that these comical numbers were a great way to reach out to younger audiences.  They were entertaining to watch, as I mentioned, because of the music and dancing.  However, these numbers also provided some of the biggest laughs of the show.  These numbers were LIVELY and COLORFUL and JOYFUL.  Many people who have not been exposed to the opera probably believe that it’s a stuffy show filled with people just standing around and singing in high-pitched voices.  With lively numbers such as these, however, I think that the opera can prove people wrong and attract younger viewers.

I thought that Contes D’Hoffman also spoke to audience members well because of it’s storyline.  Contes D’Hoffman is the story of a man who falls madly in love three times and gets his heart broken three times.  This plot isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory.  People fall in love and get their heart broken all the time.  For that reason, I didn’t find this story to be completely ridiculous or outdated.  It was about love and because love stories are still made today, I found it easier to comprehend the opera.

My grandparents on my mom’s side love classical music. Every summer since I was little, they would take to me to parks all over New York State to see free concerts. Just as the sun would set, the musicians would take their seats and begin to play. Sitting in my Barbie lawn chair, I would watch the sun set to a piece by some classical master like Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Beethoven, or Wagner.

Classical music was a big part of my childhood. It was always present on holidays. At Christmas especially, we would spend hours in front of a crackling fireplace listening to music and every night as I fell asleep I would listen to my tape of the Magic Flute, which I couldn’t sleep without. While most kids had nightlights or a teddy bear, I had Mozart.

So, despite the inconvenience of staying out late on a Tuesday, I was really excited to go to the opera. Contes D’Hoffman was, in my opinion, a great show. I was pleasantly surprised by my familiarity with a few of the songs and was blown away by the fantastic voices of the performers, especially the woman who played Antonia.

While I understand why the “bark & bark” technique is boring to some people, I think that in Opera, the music is good enough to stand on it’s own. Without moving, the Opera singer can invoke powerful emotions using only his or her voice.  In fact, I think that acting sometimes distracts from the beauty of the music. While watching Contes D’Hoffman, I found myself forgetting to listen because of the spectacle on stage and the subtitles on the seat in front of me. It might just be because I am not used to seeing opera performed, but I prefer to hear opera as I always have, lying on the plush carpet in my grandparents living room with my eyes closed in front of a fireplace.

The story of Contes D’Hoffman was extremely difficult to follow. After act 1, I was completely lost. I actually think that reading part of the story in Series 3 made it even more difficult to follow. The opera rendition failed to provide clear reasoning as to why the man selling barometer’s was so feared by Hoffman or present the Clara character that seemed to be, in the written piece, a big part of the story.

Sadly, I don’t think that opera speaks very well to the people of my generation. I think that unless you were raised to appreciate classical music, no teenager really appreciates opera, other that saying something like” “Yo, dude! That chick’s voice was crazy high!” Personally, I think there are two main reasons for the decline of opera: the length and the confusing story lines.

In a world were instant gratification is king; no one has the patience to sit for three hours and just listen. The temptation of modern technology is too great. With the world literally at your fingertips, few can resist the urge to check facebook or text during a three-hour block of time.  Also, with no modern scenario’s being portrayed and bizarre stories, opera is almost impossible to relate to on a personal level. Take Contes D’Hoffman for example, the plot is ridiculous. A man falls in love with a woman, who is made up of three women: a robot, a talented Opera singer, and a courtesan. Instead of appreciating the talented performers on stage, the majority of people spend the three hours either wondering what the hell is going on or give up completely and decide to text, daydream, or nap!