On September 29th, I was much excited for the opera Rigoletto that I was going to watch. Even though I was sick and missed every classes in the morning, I certainly did not want to miss this opportunity. It was going to be my first opera experience and I have always dreamed of going to one. I finally decided to get out of the bed and take the train to the Lincoln Center.

When I arrived in the Lincoln Center, I was amazed. It was much bigger than I thought, and the buildings shined gorgeously with yellow lights. I also loved the fountain in the middle. Then I suddenly realized how privileged I was for living in New York City. I actually have been taking it for granted for a while, but the Lincoln Center reminded me that I was living in one of the most astonishing and glamorous cities. As I stepped into the MET building, red carpets and fancy design of the building welcomed me to the opera. I took a seat, and talked with my classmates for the remaining time. Before the opera started, Professor Goldstein told us to press the button if anybody needed the subtitle. I was so much excited at the fact that they had subtitles because I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to follow the performance in a different language. It was amazing, and I was ready for the opera.

The opera began. First thing that amazed me was their background. Unlike musicals, it was more realistic, and it was huge. People looked so small on the stage. When I listened to them singing, I just couldn’t believe how they could sing so loud without the microphone. Especially Gilda, because she was such a tiny woman. Even though their acting skills weren’t that good in my opinion, their songs covered them up. They changed the background pretty quickly, and that was impressive. I liked the plot, and unlike other people, I actually thought it was realistic. I just think that kind of passionate love still exists in the world – maybe very few – and I hope they do. Not that I want people to die, but I think it would be romantic.

Anyway, back to the opera. I want to point out some negative aspects. Frankly, watching the performance with the subtitles was a bit annoying because I couldn’t really concentrate, even though after some time I got used to it. Also, it would have been better if I didn’t read the plot. I regretted a little bit for reading it, because that actually made me concentrate more on the incidents than anything else. At the last scene, I kept questioning myself: ‘When is she going to die?’ ‘When is Rigoletto going to hear the Duke sing again?’

Overall, my first opera experience was unique. I think it was a valuable experience, but to tell the truth I’m not sure if I would go again spending my own money. I would rather watch Broadway musicals.