This was a particularly exciting experience for me since I would be attending my very first opera.  All of the girls put on their best black dresses and the boys suited up and we headed off to the Metropolitan.  I have always had a deep fascination with Ancient Egypt, as I was a part of the Egyptian club back in high school.  I had very high expectations going into this performance, as Egypt is known for its lavishness and splendor.

As we stepped we stepped off of our bus, we were greeted by the beautiful fountains and gold lights streaming across the entrance.  We hurried inside and we were all in awe of the beautiful chandeliers and red velvet carpeting.  There’s no denying that the Met is a classy place.

Aida is set in Ancient Egypt and tells the story of the Ethiopian princess, Aida, who has been enslaved by the Egyptian people.  Radames, the commander, attempts to decide between his undying loyalty to Egypt and his unwavering love for Aida.  In the end, the two lovers die in each other’s arms since they could never be together had they chosen to live.

I thoroughly enjoyed this performance, as the set design struck me and the experience itself was one I will never forget.  At one point, live horses came onto the stage and that was when the opera had officially lived up to my expectations.  Ancient Egypt was beautifully portrayed and the story was heart wrenching, even though having to keep glancing at subtitles somewhat detracted from my overall experience.  I was blown away by the performances, especially by the lead role of Aida and Aida’s father, and I look forward to attending another opera in the near future.