Wednesday night was my first experience at The Metropolitan Opera. Everything about the night truly captivated me. From the red velvet staircases, to the extravagant costumes and even the triangular shaped cups at the water fountain; an understatement would be to say that it was an unforgettable experience. When entering the beautiful hall I was automatically drawn to the numerous chandeliers. Their ornate design, immense size and the, later noted, mobility of the chandeliers oozed sophistication. Once seated, I was pleasantly surprised to see the presence of discrete screens for subtitles, available in multiple languages, for the audience to keep up with the plot of Turandot.

As the curtains elevated, we were welcomed to the intricate and ingeniously planned sets that set the tone for Turandot. The beginning of the Opera (as Professor Kahan stated in class) welcomed us to a group scene, with actors that doubled as the choir. The chorus was truly talented, and in my opinion created a character of their own. In fact, it was their reactions to events happening within in the plot, that cued when the us, the audience should laugh, feel pity, and feel sympathy. Overall, I thought the story was well explained by the singing and a true joy to watch.

The orchestra can be summed up as magnificent. Not one scene left my musical wishes unfulfilled. The moments of recitativo were in my opinion when the orchestra stood out the most. And each time, reminded me of how talented they truly were.

Last but most certainly not least, the singers were wondrous. The talent that was emphasized by the multiple arias performed were a joy to watch. All of the soloists’ voices were moving and I was left more then content, particularly when “Liu” sang her high notes. The performance of “Nessun Dorma” was definitely a joy and showed the talent of the singer whom I found to be almost overwhelming (in a good way) at some moments in the Opera. “Calaf’s” character though a bit fickle with his heart, was likable. And I was happy to see that Turandot who carefully guarded her heart, was able to open it up to a man who risked his life for her.

Ultimately, I can say that my first taste of the Opera left me simply wanting more.