Before I can even begin discussing the opera, I must talk about the opera house itself. I arrived at the Met with a friend, and we both paused for a few seconds, trying to take in all the little details that make up such a magnificent building. The fountain, creamy white facade, and brilliant whites give the structure an ethereal glow in the nighttime. Walking inside, it felt like passing through a different world of affluence and culture. I know that Professor Jablonka advised us to dress up, and she wasn’t lying about the way people dressed for a night out at the opera. Fur coats, floor length dresses (even a gown or two near the box levels) and hands adorned with a glass of red wine. It was nothing and everything I expected to see. Surprisingly, I didn’t run into any snooty person–everyone was just as nice as I was to them. Being able to walk around the different levels of the Met was a fun part of the night all by itself. Ting and I enjoyed noticing different behaviors in people from different levels of the building and running out onto the balcony before being rushed back in by the brisk weather.
Cosi Fan Tutte was an amazing amazing showcase of fantastical vocal work, costumes, and sets. I was glad that our guest speaker Mark prepped us the day before and let some of the major plot lines slip so that I could focus more on the stage than the little black screen in front of me. I was more than happy to realize that I could understand most of the Italian from my knowledge of Spanish. I have seen opera on TV and movies, but until I was actually in my seat (about 26 rows from the orchestra) I had no idea how powerful an opera singer’s voice is. I was astounded by how far it could travel and how clear it was. There were moments where their voices had to be purposefully hushed, yet I could still hear the words clear as a bell.
I was moved and a little disturbed by the story. How could people, even from several hundred years ago, believe that love is so fickle and blame it all on women? I wasn’t satisfied with the “happy ending” either, and I was glad Mark had explained it to us earlier, adding the Enlightenment and misogynist view points of the time.
Overall, I was really excited to be attending the opera and I was not disappointed. This last class trip was the culmination of a semester’s worth of great performances. Considering I have enough time (and money) in the future, I sincerely hope that wasn’t my last night at the opera.
-Laura Ayala
