A Night at the Opera

I have never been to the opera. Honestly I have always been intimidated by it. To begin with, opera is usually performed in a foreign language which, for me, makes it difficult to understand and therefore difficult to relate to. Opera is traditionally very grandiose and has a reputation for being over dramatic, which can also make it difficult to relate to.

However a few weeks ago my BF and I saw an advertisement for MacBeth by Giuseppe Verdi being performed at the Metropolitan Opera. I am very familiar with the story of MacBeth and I thought if I am going to go to the opera, this would be a good one to start with. Even if I didn’t understand the actual words they were singing I would still be able to follow the plot. In addition, it was at the Metropolitan Opera, the premier company in the country and what better place to get my first taste.

I was worried that tickets would be out of our price range. It is true that tickets can be quite expensive for orchestra seats. However, I was surprised to find that there are “family circle” seats (meaning seats in the back of the theatre in the fifth balcony) for only $15 on weekdays. Of course there are price points between $15 and $280 depending on what day of the week you go and where in the theatre you sit.

My BF and I made a date of the evening beginning with dinner at Planet Sushi located at 78^th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. A moderately priced Japanese restaurant, the food is tasty and the sake is warm. My favorite part of the meal was that every time a customer walked through the door, the entire staff called out a friendly Japanese greeting. To get a look at their menu, check out their website at http://www.psushi.com/.

Following dinner, we decided to walk the few short blocks to Broadway and 65^th Street. Lincoln Center is gorgeous at night. It is such a lustrous sight to round the corner into the plaza filled with folks who are attending the ballet, the opera or an evening of theatre dressed up in suits and gowns, the fountain lit up and the inspiring architecture surrounding you. The Metropolitan Opera House is opulent with a three story crystal chandelier, red velvet stairs and marble walls.

We were sitting quite far up which has its advantages and disadvantages. A friend of mine, who is an opera aficionado, schooled me on the benefits. None of the performers are mic’d, so the amplification is due only to the acoustics of the theatre and the amazingly powerful voices of the performers. At the higher levels of the theatre, the acoustics create a perfect balance between the voices and the orchestra. You also have a great view of the entire stage. The set and lighting design was incredible and it was so nice to be at a vantage point to fully appreciate it. Of course the biggest drawback to sitting so far from the stage is that you can’t really see the performers faces. This is where opera glasses come into play. Even a cheap pair of binoculars that we got as a promotional gift for a magazine subscription works well. Plus its fun to spy on your fellow audience members and check out what everyone else is wearing.

As for the opera being sung in Italian, it was not an issue. The Metropolitan provides a personal monitor for each seat that scrolls the words along with the singers.

We thoroughly enjoyed our night at the opera. There were things about the production of MacBeth that I thought were inspired; the voices were world class and I was pleasantly surprised by the innovative staging. Admittedly there were some things that did not necessarily speak to me, but it was a great cultural experience and nothing to be intimated by. My BF and I agreed that we would have to return to see another production soon.

Insider tips:

• Go to the bathroom before the opera starts. Operas tend to be long and unless you are sitting in an aisle seat, it is extremely disruptive to get up during the performance.
• Upon arrival, you should ask at the box office if upgrade seats are available. Occasionally unpurchased seats are released for upgrade.
• You don’t need to dress in a tux or gown to go to the opera. You can if you want of course, but slacks and a button down shirt or a casual little dress are also acceptable.

To check out their season and for dates and ticket prices visit the Met’s website at http://www.metopera.org/.