Wow! I can’t believe that I went to an opera! When I read through the syllabus for this class, I was dreading the fact that I had to go see Turandot. I thought that it was going to be really boring. I thought I’d be totally lost, since it is in a different language. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

Even with our little bit of confusion and disorder leaving CSI, we managed to make it there in plenty of time. When I came up the escalator from the subway, I was amazed! Lincoln Center looked absolutely beautiful at night!! The only time I had really seen it was during the day and, honestly, I had no clue that THAT was Lincoln Center. After meeting up with my friends, we went inside the opera hall. What another amazing sight. The decor was stunning, and a lot to take in. When we finally walked all the way up to the nosebleeds, we found our seats and Act I began. Act I was hard to see, considering the distance. It also didn’t help that he upper part of the stage was covered by the curtains. This part of the opera seemed more like background explaination than story telling. I wasn’t impressed.

During the first intermission, Elisa, Naomi, Professor and I went down to the orchestra level to find empty seats. I found a seat in Row C, on the floor, and settled in for Act II. I was hoping that this would improve my opera experience. When the curtain opened for the start of Act II, the stage was mind-blowing. The amount of craftsmanship and effort put into the backdrop was incredible. I could not believe my eyes! Being closer to the stage, I was able to get more involved in the story. I started to enjoy the opera.

By Act III, I was hooked. The much anticipated aria, “Nessun Dorma,” was breathtaking. Marcello Giordani did an excellent job filling the piece with emotion, hitting the notes with ease. I’m sure it must be difficult to sing a piece made famous by Pavarotti, as comparisons will always be made.  For my first opera experience, however, I went in a skeptic and left a fan.

I absolutely enjoyed attending the opera. I think that it was a wonderful experience, one I definitely would not have had in my forseeable future. I would like to thank Macaulay for taking us. It was a beautiful choice. It was great spending by birthday evening with all of my friends seeing Turandot.