The Lincoln Center Trek (ballet/opera combined)

The past 2 weeks the Macaulay honors class visited the Lincoln Center to appreciate the art forms of ballet and Opera

BALLET

Although my younger sister is a dancer, going into the ballet I honestly did not know what to truly expect. That said when we first began to walk into the building as a class I was definitely astounded. It is by no means an architectural marvel yet the building gave up a sophisticated vibe. When the Ballet started I certainly wasnt expecting the silence that came right after the band started playing. The three dances were absolutely impressive and I was clearly able to see the amount of talent and practice that needed to go into the performance and make it as great as it was. I preferred the second dance about the temptress because I really enjoyed the orchestras slow songs and felt at ease during the performance as opposed to the first which i simply did not like as much and the third which i was surprised about because it wasnt the classic ballet. The Ballet truly opened up my eyes to a new classical world, as previously stated i did not know if i would have enjoyed the show but overall, I can say that it broadened my horizons. If i was given another opportunity I will most certainly go again.

OPERA

Without a doubt the Opera was a huge surprise for me. Walking in I believed I would hate every second of it. That said I took the advice the Professor and Amanda Hicks said and “let it in”. I was astouunded by the performance of Carmen and really loved the story. Being surrounded by friends helped ease me into the situation but i enjoyed the opera much more than i thought i wouldve. 2 things really stuck out to me; If the show was shorter I wouldve liked it much more and that my favorite part was the interactive stage that moved in a circular motion to fit the scene of the show. As Previously stated, I did not believe I would like the opera yet i think the mix of classical music (something i have an affinity towards) and a beautifully written story truly broke through my personal barrier. I loved seeing how every word had true meaning and how their connotations were expressed through the show. I also loved the foreshadowing and was able to really follow along making me know for a fact that I would go to another opera if given the chance and if it is not 3.5 hours long.