Before stepping foot into the Metropolitan Opera, I had slight reservations due to preconceived opinions of the ongoings in the place. I imagined well-dressed adults and pretentious rich folk, vying for the most expensive seats and for the respect of those around them.I pictured freshly manicured nails, and freshly pressed suit pants. These reservations were not a deterrent for me, though. I actually thought it would be quite interesting to “step into someone else’s shoes” and pretend to be like those that were not there to complete an assignment for class, but were there out of pure appreciation for the art. Plus, I’m always on board with opportunities to play dress-up. To my surprise, it seemed that a good amount of people (at least in our section, with the cheaper seats) had the same idea. Each floor I walked up, the crowd seemed to ease up on the pretension, and people seemed to be enjoying themselves more and more. The dress code shifted as well, and lightened up along with the overall mood. Average, middle-class, young, and with smiles on their faces, people chattered joyfully amongst themselves. Some seized the opportunity to “play dress-up” (like I had), in dresses and blazers, others donned jeans and hoodies. They posed for selfies with their friends, awkwardly flirted with their dates, and most importantly, actually seemed to be having a good time. To my own surprise, I felt at ease among the crowd, and like less of an outsider looking in. At this point, I forgot that I was even supposed to be observing the scene, because I felt that I was a part of it.
My first picture is one of the advertisement on the backside of the program. A big, shiny Rolex. That definitely played into my original doubts about the opera, and who it’s true audience might be.
The second picture features a young woman having her picture taken by a friend, smiling from ear to ear. Her genuine excitement seemed contagious, and she seemed to be enjoying playing the role. She didn’t seem the least bit pretentious or judgemental. This picture drew inspiration from Teju Cole in its capturing of an everyday person in an everyday moment, now sealed to look back and reflect upon. Nothing feels staged, even though she’s posing for someone else’s photograph.
As for the opera itself, I found it pretty easy to follow, especially given the subtitles on the monitor in front of each seat. Even though part of the stage was blocked from the seat I was in, I would actually choose to purchase those “nosebleed” seats again. From my seat, I was right above the orchestra. Personally, I had just as much fun watching the conductor wave his hands and flip his music sheets as I had watching the opera itself. If I turned around, I could see the lighting crew perched up in their secret hole in the ceiling. I felt as though I was getting a unique glimpse of the inner-workings of the opera that even those that paid hundreds of dollars for their seats could not experience.
All in all, I enjoyed and appreciated the Metropolitan Opera more that I could have anticipated. Did my preconceived opinions hold up? Yes, they did, to a large degree. But that said, the opera is accessible to a broad spectrum of individuals, and is often overlooked as such. Plus, it can also be seen as an opportunity to let loose and enjoy a night out with friends.
