On September 25 and 26, you were exposed to the best New York City has to offer: opera at the Met and dance at City Center. How did this explosion of High Culture affect you? Did you become a better person . . . or had the apex of your character perfection been reached years ago?
Nehru once avowed: “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.”
A more cynical stance was taken by Simone Weil, a philosopher suffering from sinusitis: “Culture is an instrument wielded by professors to manufacture professors, who when their turn comes, will manufacture professors.”
What’s your definition?
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Nehru’s quote seems to resonate most with my definition of culture. But, in respect to this week, I feel that this definition is one-sided; it doesn’t describe the role of the source of culture. I believe that “culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit” by a display of art in its most refined state.
In respect to both my experience attending the dance performance at the City Center and opera at the MET, this definition stands true. Out of all three dances of that night at the City Center, the last dance by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens troupe widened my mind and spirit the most. It was the most bizarre and, at the same time, the most context-driven of all the dances. This caught and kept my attention throughout. This dance was a piece from a ballet by Stravinsky called Les Noces and it depicts a typical Russian wedding as communism was starting to take hold in Russia. This gave the piece a much more stronger social perspective than the two preceding dances. As I became more in tune with what the dancers were trying to convey, I focused more on the technicalities of the dance. I was extremely impressed at the way they controlled their bodies and conveyed the idea of being robotic as a result of being under the umbra of communism. I also liked the way they were able to convey a bestial quality at a point of the dance. Overall, this opportunity to experience dance at the City Center broadened my mind and spirit to the intricate means of communicating in such a complex art form that is dance.
The excursion to see the opera “Le nozze di Figaro” at the MET was just a thrilling experience if not an even more thrilling experience compared to going to the City Center. Everything was so refined and meticulously crafted. The set design and wardrobe was mesmerizing; I felt as if I was transported back to the 18th century just by the craftsmanship and accuracy of both of the aforementioned elements. I was most amazed by the singing. The ability of the entire cast to project their voices throughout the entire theater without any visible amplification and still stay in key denotes a tremendous amount of skill on part of the singers and amazing acoustics within the theater. In respect to the singers themselves, the person that I felt stood out the most was Danielle de Niese who played Susanna. I don’t have the skill of being able to evaluate the pitches of singers at a certain moment. But, intuitively, I felt that her singing was the most mellifluous. Nevertheless, the countess was still conveyed as the strongest character of the story.
Overall, I feel that specific weekend raised my expectations of what I consider as culture and refinement. And, in turn, it has raised my own level of discipline in emulation to the great discipline I was exposed to by the dancers and singers of those two nights.
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I feel that this weekend was my official introduction to the New York City lifestyle. Even though I lived in Brooklyn for a year prior to this event, I have never experienced anything like this. From the Argentinean tango, the signature American Martha Graham dance style, the Russian ballet performed by a Canadian company, to the opera that was set in Spain and has an Italian libretto, the events captured the ethnic diversity that New York is famous for. This weekend has really made me appreciate my new home. New York has long been the land of opportunity and this weekend showed that you are free and will be accepted for being who you are. The Tangueros Del Sur Company who chose to have the world premiere of the dance to be at City Center exemplified this. They showcased their culture and were well accepted; maybe this explains their lengthy bowing…
Becoming a better person doesn’t occur in the span of two events, rather it is a process of restoration of morals, self-discovery, and experiences. The dance festival and the opera definitely played a role in the process by making me more cultured and oriented in the arts, an important facet of being ‘well-rounded’ and becoming a better person. Thank you Professor Judell for your role in my personal development.
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This weekend of culture has caused a lot of firsts in my life. It was my first experiences with opera and modern dance. All of which encouraged me to go to further events like this. I especially enjoyed the opera probably because of its production values; the sets, the costumes and, of course, the actors were all breathtaking. However after seeing the opera, I’m concerned that the bar for my standards of great operas were set too high and operas from then on would always be compared to Figaro.
Have these experiences made me a better person? They have made me more culturally well-rounded, which I would consider to a definite plus, but a better person in general? I would say that I’m about the same. I would agree with Nehru that culture “widens” the “mind” and “spirit” but that doesn’t necessarily make a better person. I wouldn’t say that I am a better person that someone who isn’t as intelligent or spiritual to me.
As for Simone Weil, he’s a cynic and all I see them as are people that are interesting to listen to, but not to be taken seriously.
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Culture does not necessarily make a better person. It is the intent of the viewer or the person who experiences culture that could change that person. If someone is not willing to learn or try out different varieties of art and history, then he or she will not absorb what is being experienced. However, one cannot broaden his or her mind if he does not try new things that he normally would not. Even here, there is a curiosity to learn something new. It is true, every moment in our lifetime is significant in molding us into the people we are now, but there could be a bigger impact in the molding process if one were to be truly devoted to it.
I believe that some people use what they have seen as a tool to show off their intellect, and the person who absorbs a lot from one subject does not get as much credit. In conversations, unless it is amongst the professionals in the field, people do not wander into deep details about those subjects, but rather touch upon a few common points and knowledge. If someone had seen a play, they could talk about it form a spectators point of view and get away as being an intellectual, but in fact the person does not know much about the play except for the few details he had talked about. Next to this person, a man who has researched and created his own thesis about a that play would only be able to share the same information as the latter.
In a sense, there is the idea of the Jack of all trades being greater than the Master of one. In society, we value those who know many different variety of things, but fail to explore deeper and see if they had really absorbed the culture or had they just merely experienced it to have something to talk about. -
Most of the time I go to these shows I look at the architecture, thus City Center was one of the more interesting experiences for me. City Center was very Mideastern looking. I looked up the origins of the building, and found it was originally a temple for the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, basically a fraternity for Freemasons. However I guess I should talk about the dancing.
Instead of talking about what I did like, I decided to talk about what I did not like. I sat next to Adam during the performance, and he pointed out in the last piece that he hated what they were doing with those long benches, and I cannot help but to agree. The last piece seemed so archaic, I think Sheila Kaminsky would have been severely disappointed. I am not saying that I do not like ballet, I just felt it was so rigid and artificial. What I did like in the piece is when the group of dancers suspended the two leads and moved them like puppets. If the entire dance could focus on that, I would have been more happy. And the music didn’t help either.
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For the definition of culture, Nehru’s says it best. Culture is a way for people to not only express their own beliefs, but also to experience other mindsets. What we saw that weekend was something I never thought I would see. Not only are the tickets costly, but also because I had basically no interest in the western arts that I guess I didn’t care so much. I grew up in a very Bangladeshi home so every “artsy” thing was from back home. My parents don’t care for western opera, dance (which is found to be very “promiscuous”), or Broadway (my mom still thinks only drunk/bad people go to them!). I guess the commercials for the Broadway shows on TV don’t help.
Until that Friday when we saw fall for dance, I probably would never care for that art. I’ve always liked hip-hop or anything Britney Spears could do, but not the more graceful modern dance. It was a very fascinating night, and I will definitely keep my eyes open for other dance shows in the future, including ballet. Right now I’m eyeing a show in February on the West Side Story ballet suite, and possibly Sleeping Beauty.
As for the dances specifically, I had liked the first one with the color girls, but as I saw the next two, the first one wasn’t as amazing. The salsa was on fire, and the third with the man and woman in the box was extremely touching. The last one was bizarre, and reminded me of a Lady Gaga music video.
I was glad that I was able to see most of the opera despite not seeing the very beginning. I was sort of aggravated that they wouldn’t let me in after the doors were closed, even though I wasn’t late, I was just feeling nauseous. It just felt like these upper class luxuries were pretty cold, but I shouldn’t generalize.
The opera was great, except I got kind of tired after the long arias with a lot of fluffy lovey-dovey stuff. I just wanted the story itself to go on. What I really loved about it were the costumes and the rococo-like style set. I’ve always appreciated over ornate decorations.
I looked into the story of the Figaro trilogy by Pierre Beaumarchais and it was interesting to see that it was mainly centered on the count and countess and not so much Figaro. The Barber of Seville, the first, was how the count fell for Rosine and married her. It was disheartening to learn that in the subsequent plays, the count cheats on her, and in the third, the Guilty Mother, the story is about their two illegitimate children who are in love. But I guess that’s twisted love for you.
That following Wednesday, I went to see the Magic Flute with a friend. The fantastical story had intrigued me. I thought it was good, but again, I grew tired of the length of it all. I think from now on I’d rather watch on dvd!
What I liked about the Magic Flute was that it was in German, differing form the Italian Figaro. I got a taste of both, and though I liked them both, there was something more genuine about the German. I guess because, for one reason, I think most of the best known operas are in Italian, so the German was much more exotic. I felt closer to Mozart’s legacy and his status as one of the figures in German history that put the country in a better light. I would definitely be interested in seeing Die Walkure when it comes out in a few years.
In short, it was a fabulous weekend! Thank you professor for really caring about seats!
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For me, too, Mark, was this my best example of my horizon being broadened. I couldn’t believe all of this was happening in one weekend.
The Opera was something I had wanted to experience for quite awhile, and I was glad my first experience was with the Metropolitan. I was in awe from curtain rise to curtain fall at the set. I was completely distracted, but in the best way possible. I vaguely remember some people singing, blocking my view of the light streaming so beautifully through the windows. And, lo! It’s a Lazy Susan. Goodness.
The dance was also amazing. I have some experience attending ballet and even (much to my dismay) performed in a recital last fall. My favorite was Les Noces but for purely unexplainable reasons. I suppose it was the least “modern” of the performances, though embodied the birth of modernisms itself. The classical dress with the jarring stabs of Stravinsky’s music was lovely.
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This weekend was definitely one of the best examples in recent memory of me broadening my cultural horizons. Professor, when you ask “Or had the apex of your character perfection been reached years ago?” I can only think to myself that this is an absurd thought, because I believe no one ever reaches a personal “apex” on the deep level regarding cultural understanding. We are always growing and changing in that aspect of ourselves. Unlike other things like our weight or ex-boyfriends, where we can reflect on bad times in the past, cultural understanding always stays with us and is permanently relevant. Even on the day I die, I will not have experienced every worldly culture I could have even imagined.
Concerning the two cultural events we attended, I thoroughly enjoyed both and found myself exploring new art forms in ways I have never beforehand. The Fall for Dance performance at City Center was the first live performance of modern dance I ever attended. I realized that evening the profound messages an art form with no words, nonetheless, can convey. The performance by the Wheeldon Company in particular was heart-wrenching. I left the theatre with a new understanding for the deep soul present in modern dance, and more importantly, an enriched and satisfied feeling in my own soul.
The opera, “Le Nozze De Figaro” was also very enjoyable in a different respect. I had also never been to an opera, much less one at the Met! The building itself was an experience to go into, with an opulent design, a massively tall stage, and five grand tiers of seating in the house. It was a far cry from the Broadway theaters I am so used to. I loved the performance, and having seen parts of the opera in class on video, I didn’t find myself struggling at all to follow the story. Personally, I don’t like Opera as much as Musical Theatre musically, especially when it comes to methods of conveying a story with lyrics, but overall I had a great time. The other day I was in Lincoln Center with my boyfriend and he was looking at a poster for Elektra, saying he wanted to see it. After having my first Opera experience through CHC, I could say to him right away that I’d love to go with (at least, genuinely!) him!
I agree with the Nehru quote completely. Not only are we made aware of the existence of completely new perspectives with cultural exploring, but we are made better people because of it.
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The dances were SO elegant and soulful! And the opera, even though it was in Italian, was the opposite of what I heard about operas. I stayed awake the whole time and I enjoyed every bit. The staging was breathtaking; from the lighting to the way they transitioned the scene backgrounds. It was a memorable experience that I may or may not relive again.
What is culture? Well, it is what brings us together as a human race. Culture is differences, but also similarities. It divides us into groups, but it brings us all together. Our similarity is having different cultures; different minds and traditions. Seeing the dances, watching the opera, and listening to the music that each of us brought in told me a little bit about different cultures. When I became aware of the uniqueness of the cultures I was exposed to, I began to appreciate the dancers, the singers, and everyone of us a little bit more.
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Okay, I’ll accept that.
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I feel that culture stands as a testimony to the experiences and feelings of the society that produces it. Through it we are able to share in the lives and thoughts of people who may be very different from us. In this sense I feel compelled to agree with Nehru in that culture is a widening of the mind and spirit; the more we are able to experience, not just our own ideas and struggles but those of others as well, the more we are able to grow.
I actually preferred the opera to the dance. However, I liked the dances for the fact that the dancers were able to have such command over their bodies. That was a very beautiful thing to see. I felt that at the dance, I was trying to over analyze everything and trying to find the meaning of the dance rather than just taking it all in. This was especially true for the first dance and I found that I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
The opera was amazing. I can’t even think of one thing that I would complain about. I feel that the opera was more enjoyable because it was more concrete and easier to follow since I knew the script and there were subtitles. I really loved the set and it was, like as everyone has already said, amazing. I agree with Lana about the depiction of women in the piece though. I really disliked the Countess at the end.
Overall, however, I was really happy to have attended the opera. It was really fun to see everyone all dressed up. Everything about it was so beautiful and almost fairy tale like. I’m really glad that I was able to experience that, were it not for this class I find it highly doubtful that I would have gone to an opera. Now that I’ve experienced it I feel that it is something that everyone should be a part of.
And thus we come to the darker side of culture. The fact of the matter is that there are many, many people that cannot experience such an event; not because they don’t want to, but simply because they either cannot afford it or have never been educated regarding it. As I’ve said before culture is a witness of the society that created it. It can reveal many things about the people who are a part of it. Often times in cases dealing with “high culture”, culture is used as a tool to reinforce certain power or class relations. In the case of the opera, it is generally thought if as a pastime enjoyed by the rich and elite. When used in this sense culture becomes a tool to constrict and restrain, to subdue and maintain class distinctions. As Weil states it merely becomes something taught by professors (the scholarly elite of academia) to students who in turn will inherit the elite positions.
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Surprisingly astute finale. Nicely done.
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I have spent seventeen long years in New York City, but not once have I attended an event even remotely culturally rich. Hollywood film was the only form of public entertainment I have experienced so this was a refreshing change. So I must say, I have yet to reach characteristic perfection, but the opera and dance have opened my eyes to the wonders that New York City has to offer.
I found the dance to be fascinating considering I have been a dance enthusiast myself for a few years now. I normally do not appreciate modern and contemporary dance, mainly because it’s a very abstract form of dance, and is slower paced. However, I must admit the opening and closing numbers were very well done. The opening number was very structured; each duo introduced a unique rhythm representing a certain level of sexual maturity. The second number had a brilliant combination of jazz that demonstrated the association of music and dance as well as convey a variety of popular dance styles. The third number was symbolic of man and woman’s relationship. The struggle and tension and ironic isolation at the end of the conflict kept the audience interested and curious about. The final number just left me confused and disoriented, but it interesting to watch.
The opera was very nice. I have never been to an opera before so I cannot critique it as thoroughly but any clueless idiot would have been impressed. The best part of the opera, other than the vocal performances of course, was the set. Each set introduced incredible lighting and props, to such an extent, that I was actually under the impression that it was midday somewhere in Venice.
I agree with Nehru and find Weil to be a pompous ass. To me culture is the collective value, knowledge, tastes, and manners of a society. To understand culture is to understand one’s environment and surroundings. A well-cultured man is one who appreciates how the present world works. This is synonymous to what Nehru claims. Obviously Weil doesn’t value culture, and as such argues that the only reason people preach culture is to continue the façade. To me this is a very narrow-minded conclusion. Culture obviously has value because it is one of the key distinctions between man and beast.
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For a “clueless idiot,” you come off as humane and wise.
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To me, culture is a unique type of knowledge that can only be attained through experience. Take for example this weekend, sure you could have read about how great the Fall for Dance was or how comical the opera was, but you don’t really learn anything about that opera or the dance until you’ve seen it for yourself. It’s the only type of knowledge that is subject to change based on each and every person’s perception. Culture is whatever a person decides to make it out to be. Within a single performance you can turn to the left to see people crying, then turn to the right and see people who seem indifferent. Culture is one of the few areas that requires emotion in learning, in fact the whole basis of culture is emotion. Nehru said it best, “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.”
The Opera at the Met was another one of the many “firsts” for me this term, and like many others I enjoyed it very much. I found the opera to be very comical and quite the opposite of what I had expected. When I thought of an opera I thought of a lady standing on stage screaming, but I came to see that opera involves much more than that. It involves acting, singing, and sometimes dancing; much like other performances we’ve seen (West Side Story). Overall I enjoyed the opera very much and I come to see this whole weekend as a wakening experience.
The Fall for Dance was nothing short of spectacular. I’ve been a fan of dance for quite some time, but not the typical modern dance. After witnessing some of the performances that night I certainly gained an appreciation for ballet, something I criticized earlier in the semester because of it’s presence in West Side Story. I used to believe that ballet is a women dominated dance, as I still do, but by no means does that make ballet a “girly” dance. In fact, I feel that ballet portrays both sex’s particularly well as each set of characters gets the chance to win the audience over. The women were undeniably the main characters in every dance we saw, but we also saw the frequent presence of the male characters. Take for example the Martha Graham company, the women were clearly the main characters as they were dressed in unique, bright colored clothing while the men were all dressed in the same black outfit. Besides for the difference in appearance, it’s also my belief that the women out-performed the men in almost every aspect that night. It’s two months after the performance and it’s the woman in the box jumping against the walls, the incredible footwork by the women in the tango, and the seductiveness of the women in the final dance, that I remember most. After watching the several performances I also came to admire the physical fitness required in dancing; many dancers held some of the most difficult positions for several minutes.
Just to give you an idea of some of the dancing I enjoyed watching prior to the event.. Mainly on America’s Best Dance Crew..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKBO6TqPFXU-
It always nice to meet someone capable of broadening his cultural horizons.
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Once again I find myself referencing the role of woman in the arts—underrepresented, misrepresented and, at times, perfectly represented, the women we observed on this weekend stood out to me with severe presence in both “Le Nozze Di Figaro” and “Fall For Dance”.
While watching the Opera at the Met I grew slightly disturbed at the meekness sometimes portrayed by Susanna and the Countess. For two women in perilous situations—both enforced by a child molesting, vengeful, abusive raping man, Susanna and the Countess seem helpless and dependent of Figaro to save them from the jealous Count. After watching serious family and domestic issues (including a neglected child who only sees her mother for a daily hug) made fun of and twisted into an intended comedy, I became more upset when the Countess decided to forgive the Count for cheating on her (God knows how many times) and remain married to him even after again discovering his new, recent intents to break his apologies and promises to remain a loyal husband.
In one piece, the Countess sings a slow and melancholy song about how her life has changed and how her marriage has falling apart with the loss of her beloved Count. This song, for me, cannot be transformed into anything humorous.
Relationship problems became a reoccurring theme as we transitioned into “Fall For Dance”. Fantastically strange pieces about Amish marriage and the everlasting divide between men and women overlapped with raw and intimate pieces such as “Softly As I Leave You”. This piece in particular really reached out to me. I felt as if I were being carried through their relationship—the ups and downs and the inevitable abandonment. In these dance pieces, I felt as if the women and men were more equal in responsibility. Both dancers supported one another throughout the dance and throughout their relationship. The juxtaposition of the woman in “Softly As I Leave You” and the women in the Amish Marriage Ballet at the end of the performance, displayed very different time periods. For the last piece, the horror of virgin brides forced to face their new unfamiliar (and impatient) husbands successfully portrayed fear and powerlessness on the women’s part. Meanwhile the woman in “Softly As I Leave You” was in control of the fate of her relationship with a man.
Being able to absorb all of these portrayals of women from different expressions of art is an experience of culture. Deeply observing and listening to others perspectives—getting a rounded view on a certain topic (such as the role of women in both modern and traditional art), allows a person to understand better than she did before this experience. That, is my definition of culture.-
A response worthy of a bravo or two, but . . . how would a woman who was a contemporary of the opera have reacted to the action? And recall Peter Sellars’ modern adaptation that we saw in class. The countess was portrayed as sort of a horny buffoon. Well, maybe that’s going a bit too far, but you can see how the work is open to interpretation. What we need now is to see a feminist attack on the opera by a woman director.
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For as many as seven years that I have lived near the City, I had never been so immersed in culture or the arts of the City. Perhaps I was disinterested, lazy, or didn’t see the long-term effects of what I perceived as fleeting experiences, being the practical person that I am. I always thought that viewing and/or listening to the works of art was awesome, but over time, I grew jaded and indifferent to a certain extent. It was sad.
The height of my artistic career was the few years that I played my clarinet in the high school band/orchestra as well as the All County and the North Jersey band. Practicing for auditions was painstaking but when I was accepted to county/regional ensembles, I was excited to perform. But what I began to realize, especially with music performances, was that there was always so much practicing and rehearsals for that short moment of applause and sense of achievement. After the concert, I felt like everything was over, and then comes the preparation for the next concert… I felt like the whole thing was cyclic, and I grew disinterested. I lost sight of where I was going.
But thank God I was exposed to some of New York City’s finest art. The weekend made me wonder- why wasn’t I aware of all these culture, arts, performances in New York City, just across the George Washington Bridge?! Nehru is definitely right when he stated his opinion. Art takes on so many different forms, not just music. It ranges from dance and opera to body art and even some things that most people would find distasteful. The dance and the opera were both amazing, not only because it was my first time, but the performances instilled in me a new and an enlightening sense of what art is. The dancers, the singers, the stagecraft, the audience.. everything feels like art. Even for the audience, there’s the art of being the audience.
We shouldn’t feel the way Weil feels about art. He’s quite a cynic. Culture and arts bring us awareness. Awareness of everything- the world, the people around us, issues, expressions, opinions, and the list goes on.
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Both the opera and the dance were great experiences for me. It was a pleasure to be exposed to new art forms as they change everyday, especially in dance. I was able to broaden my knowledge in the arts and appreciate the essence of each dance and opera performance. Not only was I exposed to new forms of art, but I was also exposed to the “other” society – the filthy rich! I know they exist, but I never see them. Just being in the same room as them is nerve-racking – it makes me feel misplaced. But this experience was interesting.
The Dance Festival. Like the opera, I thought that the dance festival was an expensive event until I realized that the tickets only cost $10. Nonetheless, there were all types of people there and the performance was very rich in material. My most favorite dances were the salsa dance and the dance with the box. I really like the salsa dance because of the upbeat music, and the setting was also very interesting. I especially like how some of the instrumentalists (although I don’t think they were actually playing the instruments) merged into the dance at one point. The footwork of the salsa dancers was amazing and the elegant attire really gave the dancers a sense of prestige in their craft. I also like the dance where the two dancers were trapped in a box. From my viewpoint, the box represents the dancers’ body and the dancers represent their own soul. They are struggling to free themselves from their own bodies. The dance portrayed very heavy emotions and the music and lighting added to this emotional effect. Also, I was amazed by the flexibility of this dance couple, as well as the male dancer’s ability to stand still for a long period of time. The dance that I did not like was the last one – the music was creepy, and so were the costumes and the dance itself. However, the story of the struggle between genders was very clear to me. Nonetheless, the dance still gave me chills (in a bad way).
The Opera. The opera was not as I had expected. I thought it would be the same as the videos I saw in class – a cardboard setting with strong opera singers. However, modern technology and craftsmanship really lived up to its potential. The first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the setting. The decorations were so detailed and the lighting added such richness to the opera. The lighting effects helped express the mood of various scenes and the time of day. Also, the opera singers were amazing. I especially liked the countess because her voice was so clear and she had a wide range for her voice. The only problem I had with the opera was trying to read the subtitles and watch the opera at the same time.
Responding to Nehru, I completely agree with him. Culture really is the “widening of the mind and of the spirit.” After being exposed to dance, I suddenly because really interested in this art form and I love the various techniques and movements behind it. Same with the opera. I feel like being able to experience and appreciate such art really opened my eyes to a much more artistic world. I enabled me to find new interests and it expanded my knowledge of art. Another form of culture would be the ethnic aspect of it. The dance and the opera allowed me to embrace different cultures and its art forms. And a third form of culture would be social class. Seriously, I’ve never been around so many rich people in my life and this was a completely surreal experience for me. I’ve never felt so misplaced before. Then again, I had fun trying to pick out the rich from the average.
And responding to Weil, I do agree that professors expose us to culture, but in the end, we are the ones who expose ourselves to culture as we journey through life. I guess Weil sees culture in a close-minded manner – that we can only be exposed through certain things and certain people. But to me, everything is culture so everyone is exposed to various materials and interprets in their own way. There is no one was to see things in this world.
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In the year 2009: Friday September 25th and Saturday September 26th are two dates that I will definitely remember for the rest of my life. It was a first for me. I have never been to a dance concert nor have I been to an opera. It has been 15 years since I moved to New York, and sadly after experiencing the rich culture that particular weekend I realized how much I have been missing out. Never have I ever experienced such culture. Sure, I have been to museums and exhibits displaying unique cultural aspects of art from all over the world. But that does not compare to seeing a show live, in person. Main reason for this may be that events such as these cost money and unfortunately I do not own any money plant seeds nor know anyone with a money tree. In addition, events like these are not really appreciated by my parents because my parents are very conservative. Thus, my family has never informed me about this and when my peers informed me, the money was an issue.
Nehru, I must say is very wise for his statement. I completely agree with Nehru; culture indeed “widens the mind.” In my own words, culture is the collective customs and traditions of every ethnicity or group in this world. Culture can also be broken down into different segments. Similar to a tree how all the branches and roots are connected to the trunk – the main part of the tree where everything comes together. The roots and branches are different groups whose customs, beliefs, and values define their own culture. I believe Nehru is trying to suggest that experiencing other culture opens our minds to other types of culture. Naturally we are used to sticking to our own cultures and strictly following them. Our parents or relatives tend to boast “Oh, our culture is the best.” This type of persuasion leaves us ignorant of all the tremendous backgrounds out there. When we explore a new culture and it intrigues us, hopefully we choose to continue on this path of curiosity.
There is nothing wrong with exploring other cultures. In fact, it is completely possible to adhere to one’s own culture and experiment with others. I believe it is best to be open to other cultures. It cannot hurt to at least try new things, and if it does not work well with your impeccable cultural taste bud then move on. Imagine talking with your friends about the type of food you eat. I am sure one would feel left out when your friends are listing exotic foods that you have never heard of. While, all you can think of is American brand names such as “Mac N Cheese”
Weil’s statement at times may be true. Sure, professors and older people are the ones who try to induce some culture in our lives. However, in the end it is our choice whether or not we decide to accept their words. I believe it is great to try and bring culture into another’s life. One does not do it to make people continue such encouragement to a future generation. We spread culture for everyone’s benefit and to share a wonderful experience. After all, who would want to attend events all alone unless of course you want all that culture to yourself – which is very greedy.
Overall, I had a great time both at the dance concert and at the opera. It was exhilarating to be surrounded by people who value high culture. Sharing this experience with my Macaulay friends is what made it even more memorable. Thank You Professor Judell for the jellybeans and chocolates, and for the wonderful opportunity to attend two of New York’s best expressions of culture. I definitely have become more open to investigate the different roots and branches that are connected to our extensive culture tree.
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One of the most influential reasons I chose to attend Macaulay Honors is for this very particular reason for me to expand my cultural horizons. Using the cultural passport would help me achieve my short-term goal.
New York City is famous for being the “melting pot” of most of the cultures around the world. There definitely are most kinds of people from every corner of the world living in this city of mixture. On the streets of Manhattan every month there is something or the other going of any culture. I find us lucky enough to be enjoying such festive occasions of many different lifestyles in one place.
When I first came to New York I thought of it being almost everyone being “white” and from Europe. I had no idea it would be so diverse. As soon as I landed I saw all kinds of people waiting for their loved ones on the airport standing next to each other. Also in school I thought I would have “white” friends and would live in a neighborhood of Caucasians. Since then, six years ago, I have grown to adapt to other cultures and love the feeling today.
The Opera and the Dance Festival: I was really excited. Being exhilarated to watch the Opera as Professor Judell put it “with rich folks” I always had smile on my face. This was the most amazing time of my life until now. I had never seen such a wonderful performance anywhere in the world. Even though the show was not in English I enjoyed it because it didn’t seem like we could have gotten the scripts through the emotions. I have heard about the Met performances through an old lady to whom I teach some basics about computers. She tells me about concerts she visits and through her I know about the place. I even checked out the tickets before hand for the show “Hansel and Gretel” and hope to visit the Met soon. I was not so excited about the Dance for Fall festival at first but when I saw the Tango performance I was totally awed and it blew my senses away. [Okay not so much but quite a lot].
After taking this class I feel like I am a New Yorker and know about this city a little bit more. There are lots to learn after this course about the city we live in every day. When I came to NY I had no idea how much it offers to its residents and as I grew into the cultural mixed pot, I came to know that there is not much time to absorb all of it. However as an immigrant I want to know as much as I can about the city I live in. Thus the cultural passport will help me.
To me, similar to Nehru, culture is the expanding of ones living soul to accept the lifestyles of all the people around oneself and around the globe. It is the understanding and respecting the customs, traditions and any other values a group of people follows.
In a way Weil has a point that culture is brought by elders, who predominantly are teachers/professors or older relatives in a child’s life.As stated earlier this was the best weekend of my life until now and I will never forget the emotions I felt while watching the professionals entertain the world in such a wonderful manner.
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You have me approaching tears. This is a truly beautiful essay, and the reason the Macaulay folks created this course. I think you can teach the seminar next semester.
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Haha 🙂 Thanks for the honor Professor Judell, but I do not believe I can teach this course better than you do. Even though the course is not over, thank you for all the gems you show us about this city that are not known as much as famous places.
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This was my first Opera and I do not know why but I had a preconceived notion about it being extremely boring (perhaps because of the language barrier and the “fat ladies singing” idea), but boy I was so wrong! I was awed by the detailed set designs, the colorful costumes, and the talented voices of the actors and actresses (especially the Countess). I thought it would be very difficult to keep up with the plot but reading the summaries of the acts before going to the event greatly helped. I definitely plan to go to other Opera performances in the near future.
As for the Fall for Dance performances, I have been to a few Ballet performances but modern dance was a totally new experience. I have never been a huge fan of modern dance because it seems so easy (like modern art…anyone can paint a square, a circle, and a triangle and call it a masterpiece) yet modern art and modern dance are VERY different from each other. For modern dance; flexibility, practice, and choreography are vital to a good performance. I walked out of there fully inspired to take tango classes and work on my flexibility.
Like most immigrant families, my parents have never been interested to attend dances or go to Broadway shows because it is so “American”. Unlike my parents I hate separating culture into South-Asian culture, American culture, Jewish culture, etc. Culture is a device used for unification not separation. Like Nehru, I believe culture opens the mind, body, and soul to the mysteries of life.
I had been previously exposed to drawing/painting element of the arts through Saturday Programs but exposure to dances and the opera was a fascinating experience. It was an experience that I will cherish forever.
Merci Professor Judell 🙂
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WELL…if you really want to know what I think…
Culture to me is any example of a social gathering which involves the cooperation of a significant group of common folks, whether it’s ethnic, racial, national, religious, or anything else. What then is the difference between high culture and (low?) culture? Essentially they may be the same except one is accompanied by a price tag. For example, I’ve seen performances done by peers in past school years. This is an example of culture in which performers practice their routines and perform for our entertainment. But when the performance goes public and requires hundreds of hours of preparation, so much so that organizers and performers require financial compensation, then it’s high culture.
Before this culture-filled weekend, I’ve never attended a cultural event outside of school that required me to pay, either because I was never interested or would rather have spent my money buying candyyyy. Basically, the performances I’ve seen this weekend are a step or 2 higher than what has been exposed to me before in my earlier school years. Therefore, it hadn’t impacted me so significantly, but I do believe it made me a better person by exposing me to what heights talents can reach so long as you try and work hard. Also, since these recent cultural events were more exciting than previous ones, I am more looking forward to future Broadway and off-Broadway shows.
As for Nehru’s and Weil’s interpretation of culture, I believe the idea presented in Nehru’s statement is a consequence of culture as defined by me earlier, and Weil’s idea is an example of the culture of one particular group of common folks, namely professors. Hence, both are stating valid claims presenting two extremes of a general definition of culture.
Hopefully everything I said here makes enough sense.
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Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the opera, and so I can only comment on my perceptions of the art form. I had previously viewed an opera at the Met, La Boheme by Puccini. Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying the entirety of the performance, from the incredible setting which included actual horses on stage to the magnificent acoustics of the venue. Further, I gained some respect for the aristocracy, whom I had previously loathed. Anyone, regardless of social standing, can be a civilized individual, but only a select few have the ability to gain this civility through high culture. So, as a middle class person, I entered my first “elite” experience with marked indifference for those around me; the visible opulence of the audience was superfluous to me, for I was there for the pure aesthetics of the opera.
The dance festival at City Center enhanced my beliefs on culture by addressing my emotions. I had always been very critical of the arts, primarily because I saw minimal talent within myself. Therefore, it is safe to say that my ridiculing many cultural events was derived from a deep rooted envy. However, I learned to release that predisposition at the dance concert, and was subsequently touched at numerous times throughout the performance.
As a result of both of these encounters with culture, I feel confident in defending Nehru’s statement. While the cynicism of Weil might possess some empirical truths, it is not relevant to our discussion here. The arts that had been expressed to me at the afore-mentioned performances did much to open up my spiritual side. A few years ago, I was an introvert and a pessimist. Today, I am a proud extrovert and optimist, and I am certain that experiencing the beauty of culture caused such a radical transformation.
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If one didn’t know you already, one would want to from your little emotional memoir shared above. Well done.
“People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.” ~Thomas Szasz, “Personal Conduct,” The Second Sin, 1973
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Not to be cheesy, but this was probably one of the better weekends of my life. I had an incredible time experiencing modern dance, ballet, and opera for the first time. I don’t think I will ever forget the emotions I felt at the City Center. I grew up around dance and theater, but never experienced either in these extremes. In ways, I think I did become a better person because I learned so much without being taught a lesson, and I accepted new forms of art into my life.
As for Simone Weil, well..frankly, that’s just an annoying thing to say. However, I don’t think it’s based on total falsehood. Often times, teacher, adults, and other students try to force “culture” down our throats. They think that their definition of culture defines all culture and all people’s view of it. An attempt at conformity is made by educating everyone the same way. I highly disagree with this method.
I must agree with Nehru’s statement because to culture is to develop, but I believe culture is more than an action. Culture is open to personal interpretation. Culture isn’t only within the style of clothes, the food, the music, or the life of a certain demographic, it is in the minds of every single person on this planet, and in very different ways. It is something we experience through every one of the five senses and cannot be pinned down to something specific or forced to be recognized.
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Concise and rather well-worded. Culturally astute you are.
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