This was my first Opera and I was really impressed. As the overture started I began wondering how the orchestra can play through the whole show. The opera singers at least get to take a break from singing when they are either changing or their character is not supposed to be on stage, but the orchestra plays more or less constantly. Then as the curtains parted I saw the tilted stage and the people on it and I thought that it was amazing that the opera singers could not only sing and act, but they can do it on a tilted stage and make it look effortless.The lighting was also incredible. I never imagined it was possible to show on stage the day going by, by varying the amount of light coming in through the windows. I thought that could be done only in movies.
Reading over the plot of the opera helped me a lot. I knew what to expect and I could follow along with what was happening, since the opera was not in English. The translation of the words on the back of the seat in front of mine helped a lot, but it was a little bit annoying looking down all the time and I felt that I might miss something in the time it took me to read the translation.
I didn’t enjoy the actual plot of the story a lot though. I thought that it was a little too fake. For example, in the beginning Susanna and Marcellina don’t really like each other, but then as soon as they find out that Figaro is Marcellina’s son, they all of a sudden get along. That was not very realistic and in real life, they would probably start to hate each other even more because they will be a part of the same family. Another thing I didn’t really like about the plot was all the “pretending to be somebody else” at the end, because it was very confusing.
In a “Comedia del Arte”, confusion creates hilarity. There was no intention that the characters will get along, rather the author wanted to mock human nature and the pretense of civilized society. Making fun of these impossible reconciliations. Nothing in the Opera was realistic, but more like a caricature. Honesty was in the music alone, and the feelings of loss or love sang.
As to trying to drive for the first time. Yes it is hard to keep looking at three different places all at the same time. That is why some people read the libretto before coming, or go more then once.