Puttin´ on the Ritz

I went to the opera for the very first time in my life on Friday, and to my surprise I actually enjoyed it a great deal. I was expecting to want to throw myself from the balcony, what with being subject to shrill singing and violin overload. Honestly, hearing opera music on the radio or seeing it on TV is akin to torture in my experience, but I was happy to discover that it is actually quite captivating when seen live in a grandiose old venue. The piece was "Manon Lescaut" by Puccini, a sort of classic love triangle story (Manon went between a rich banker and a poor student, learning that passion and luxury are two very different things and that you really can't have it all). I was able to follow the story thanks to small LCD screens mounted in front of each seat providing a simultaneous translation of the action in German and English, making the entire spectacle far more edifying. The costumes and set design were also spectacular, as the director took a very modern approach. The best example of this was when the banker called for a chariot, and what appeared on stage but a shiny new Lexus (also a clear sign of corporate sponsorship, but it was a nice touch anyway). There was the obligitary tragic ending - to which my father would probably say "She dies good". Another aspect that I also revelled in was people watching during the intermission- drinking a glass of wine and watching the mingling of Vienna's large contingent of rich, powerful, and glamourous. I don't think I'd ever seen so much fur and Chanel in one place before. I managed to fit in with my Trachtenanzug and a nice purple tie I got in West Virginia for a dollar. Real silk though :) So, in short, Martin's didactic culturisation mission was successful - I am officially a fan of the Opera. Who'd have thought?