Feeling Sophisticated at the Opera

This semester I'm taking an Italian Opera class and so on Wednesday we went to the Roman Opera house to see La Fanciulla Del West. It's an Italian Opera about the American West, and actually the first place it was ever preformed was the Met in 1910. The fact that Cowboys were speaking Italian kept making me laugh, and it was interesting to see the Italian viewpoint of the American West, but honestly it wouldn't have mattered what Opera we were seeing, just going to the Opera was exciting.

For one night, I got to get all dolled up and fancy and then when we got to the Opera house we were taken to our seats, and they were the little balconies around the house. It was so cool the Opera house was exactly how I hoped it would be and even though I couldn't see anything on stage right without leaning completely out of the balcony, it was worth it. The ambiance of the Opera house was enthralling, I felt really posh sitting in a little booth, looking down upon the actors. There were little chandeliers in the booths and velvet chairs, it was amazing. I can't wait to go back in two weeks.

And my Opera professor was so funny to watch, it's amazing how passionate some people are about things. The entire time we were traveling to the Opera house he was anxious and kept checking his watch to make sure we weren't going to be late, and then as soon as we got there he couldn't stop smiling and he was bouncing between each balcony, checking on us and preparing us for the Opera we were about to see, and after the Opera during the curtain call, he could not stop grinning, in fact his smile was so huge I'm pretty sure I could see all of his teeth. It's obvious that he loves the Opera and it's nice to have a professor who is so passionate about what he teaches.

The only disappointing factor of the evening: knowing that I'd have to write an 8 page paper on it.......