I’ll be completely honest with you. I did not enjoy the opera. At all. I know that may seem like a pretty terrible thing to say. There are probably tons of people out there dying to watch an opera but don’t have the opportunity to. But throughout the entire show (does it really have to be so long?), I was unable to connect with the plot. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were sitting miles away from the stage. It was difficult for me to distinguish the characters from one another, especially the males, since their costumes seemed pretty similar.
This was my first time attending an opera. I was under the impression that operas consisted of an incredibly talented singer in a shimmering golden evening gown standing there for three hours straight, singing in a foreign language. I had no idea it was going to be in a form of a play! Although I wasn’t able to completely understand what was going on, I’m glad this opera played out in an actual story. It was definitely more interesting than watching just one person sing.
From reading the subtitles, I was able to somewhat understand the plot of the opera. A few aspects of the storyline frustrated me. Don Giovanni somehow always manages to be able to escape from his pursuers! And why are the women in the opera so naïve? I admit, after the first act, I was dozing off a little bit. But I’ve learned that nothing wakes you up like several billowing towers of blazing fire rising from the stage. I think I can still feel its heat on my face.
Other than the extremely awesome fire scene, I also really liked the setting of the stage. There was a particular scene where the characters were dancing. The background had a gorgeous red and gold theme, which really captured my attention. Although I wasn’t really able to see the costumes they were wearing, I specifically thought the black dress was incredibly beautiful.
The music was of course, phenomenal. It may not be something I would put into my iPod, but the orchestra really did a tremendous job accompanying the singers. The range of the singers’ voices is unbelievable. I remember hearing people around me gasp when one of the female characters hit an insanely high note. I was in awe as well.
I don’t think the opera was successful in appealing to a younger audience. It takes a lot of patience and maturity to sit through such a long show and actually appreciate the form of art. Most teenagers like us would have a difficult time trying to connect with the meaning of the story and the type of music. Opera is a very classy and sophisticated form of art, but it is definitely not intended for a younger audience.
I think the opera adds to the fantasy of New York City. At a few hundred dollars a ticket (the ones close to the stage), the opera was designed for the extremely wealthy people. Attending an opera is an extreme luxury and not something everyone can experience. Upon arriving, I thought the theater was absolutely breathtaking. The chandeliers and red carpets on the grand staircases really added to the extravagance of it all. Overall, I did not really enjoy the opera, but I am very grateful I was given the opportunity to experience something as grand as this. And of course, it was very fun to spend time with my classmates again. We all looked pretty spiffy that night, didn’t we!
