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.
NYTimes Arts
