Ciao!

Hmm, don't know why no opera in spring/summer (although I speak from experience when noting that performance theatre also takes a warm-weather hiatus), but I understand re your thoughts on opera. I was curious to see what you thought about it, frankly. The first (and consequently last) opera I saw was Die Zauberflote at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin a few years ago. I thought it was painful to sit through, and wished I had smuggled in a flask of scotch to make it more interesting. Perhaps other operas make it worthwhile, although I suspect from comments by various others that it's an acquired taste.

In the same vein, Kabuki's painful too. Y and I went to the Kabuki-Za in Ginza a few years ago. I would've found the sounds of tortured cats more pleasing than the whining and plinking of kabuki. Maybe evidence of me being uncultured, but it was hard to appreciate as a beginner.

As much as I can see you should really look forward to the 2006/07 season: Turandot, Salome, Die Fledermaus, Cosi fan tutte. Ah, soooooooooooooooooo envy. Lol. N.

my first and only opera experience was at MSU with Andy. It was a small theatre and the opera had the lyrics translated on a small side screen. I truly enjoyed it, but right now I can't even remember what the story line was. But the voices were supurb. Isn't Porgy and Bess considered light opera?

$20 tickets??? Awesome.

"I look forward to seeing something more swashbuckling or spectacle-filled. Like maybe something by Verdi? Or something w/ mail-clad Vikings? Or something w/ songs that everyone recognizes? You know, so I can walk out of the theater humming along."

Buy a cd of the opera, school yourself on the main parts and go to The Met for the real deal.

I went to an opera at Lincoln Center in NYC as part of an arts tour for undergrads, and most of us left at the first intermission. I think it was supposed to be three hours or something. I felt bad, possibly uncultured, but it was rough. Perhaps the whirlwind nature of the arts tour (a few shows a day) affected my attention span, but I just had no interest in staying. Maybe if I had a Gameboy with Tetris on it... or at least non-nosebleed seats.

Give it a second chance...and remember that it's entertainment that was designed before action movies. Yes, it's not very approachable for the uninitiated, but with a little research I suspect you'll find something you like. The best is at Lincoln Center- although I'm undecided about how I feel towards the subtitles in the LED above the stage. I sort of like reading the playbill and having to remember the story and piece it together as it's happening.

I think Sweeny-Todd is about canabals....