This was my first time at the Metropolitan Opera and I’m glad it was as part of the Macaulay seminar class. Lincoln center is simply so majestic that speaks volumes to the kind of talent that we find inside on stage. The external Lincoln square is the best, especially at night when the buildings are all lit up. As you walk in the red carpet all over the place and the grand staircase instills in you the level of elegance and professionalism that occupies the halls. I was actually in sort of a panic because I had left my ticket at home and had realized that half way through the commute. Luckily, professor Natov had an extra with her so I was able to get in. we were in the family box so that was all the way at the top of the hall. It was, I believe, four flights of stairs above the ground floor. When I got to my seat the chandeliers ascended, signaling the beginning of the show. That sight is probably one of the best parts of the experience at the MET. It was like we were in a different world, or like a ride, ready to be amazed. My focus was on the audience and I found that the audience was much more diverse than our previous trips. I saw people from all around the world and it really felt like New York City. Everyone, of course, was very fancy and elegant and we all felt underdressed. We were the only teenagers there so our presence was quite noticeable. Apparently, some of the audience behind us was talking about us in their native language. Nonetheless, the best part overall has to be the staging. The level of professionalism and perfection was totally unexpected. Even though the intervals were long, around forty-five minutes each, they went by fairly quick and it gave us an opportunity to explore more of the MET. The staging for the second act was particularly captivating. There was a body of water represented and I remember asking professor Natov if it was of real water. Everything was set perfectly and Turandot couldn’t have been a better opera to see for a first time opera visitor.
