3) Now that I have seen a live and full performance, I think I do enjoy opera. I expected to be bored or disappointed because I had heard from friends and peers that it wasn’t as exciting as they thought it would be. Our distance from the stage was not particularly ideal but from what was seen, I still did enjoy it.
Although not every word was interpreted, the storyline was easy to follow. Some phrases and ideas were dragged on for more than necessary but I found that was the only aspect I disliked. The message was delivered in a different way with the constant singing and the reactions of each actor.
The stage design was beautiful and definitely professional looking. I didn’t expect there to be such large scale settings with whole rooms completely designed. There was specific designed furniture for each room of the estate and there were small details such as jewelry or pots. These details allowed you to focus on the plot, deterring from the fact that the situation wasn’t really occurring. Besides this impressive set, the voices of the actors, especially of the countess, were impeccable. It amazed me how they could keep such high pitches and continuously sing for a long period of time. They were able to keep their voices unwavering even while acting. This is probably more difficult than just plain acting because they have to put such stress on their voices remembering not only lines, but the music and pitches as well. The music was also vital because it put more emphasis on the mood of the scenario. The plot was entertaining with the comedic twists in each scene. You wanted to know what would come next and how each character would react to their circumstances.
Some aspects of the plot were realistic to modern day and some were not. The aspects about marriage and losing the lust from the beginning of the relationship are always typical but the comedic route of deception and lies is not. The main thing I found almost frustrating was a delayed progression of the story because, at times, the plot would stay at one point, repeating what had just happened. The story didn’t have to last as long as it did as long as they got straight to the point and didn’t go in circles. For example, for the count to prolong the opening of his wife’s closet door. It wasn’t realistic and made me grow impatient. Other than that, I found that I enjoyed the extravagance of the entire thing with shimmering, lavish clothing, and the continuous, yet respectable singing and acting. The plot kept me entertained when it moved forward and I admired the actors that didn’t over or under stress their parts. I hope to see more dramatic and maybe less comedic operas in the future.
-Shaziya Ali
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