Opera in Italy

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Hello again! We have been in Italy for fourteen days now and the days seem to keep getting faster and faster. I cannot believe all of the amazing opportunities and experiences that we have had the privilege to be a part of. Getting to go to two different fashion shows, visiting beautiful museums full of amazing art that people all over the world study and only dream of seeing in person to getting to attend an opera. I mean, these are once in a lifetime type of things! It truly has been a dream these past fourteen days and I am so thankful to have the chance to experience all of it. And, no... it still doesn't feel real.

On Tuesday night we visited the Teatro del Maggio Musicale in Florence to watch the performance of The Flying Dutchman. This was seriously such a cool experience. Like I went to an opera!!! In Italy!!!! What!!! I have never attended an opera before so I don't think I really had any strong expectations before the performance nor did I really know what to expect. I guess I probably had the idea that maybe they would sing so loud and high pitch that it could shatter glass but that was really all I thought of when I found out we would be attending an opera. Overall, though I had a really good time and enjoyed the performance and thought that it was amazing how they are able to produce such beautiful sounds with there voices (even if in another language).

For those reading who have never heard of The Flying Dutchman, let me give you a little background so you are not so confused while reading. So basically the Flying Dutchman is a man who is bound to the sea because he has defied God and every seven years he is brought to shore for a chance to seek redemption. The only way that he can seek redemption is through the love of a women who is committed to him. A sailor who meets the Flying Dutchman offers to let him marry his daughter, Senta in exchange for great wealth. The sailor is unaware of the curse and agree's to the marriage. Senta, who is betrothed to marry Erik, is fascinated with the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Senta then meets the Dutchman and without knowing who he truly is, agrees to marry him. When Erik tries to convince Senta to take her back, the Dutchman feels betrayed and tells her the truth about who he is. The Dutchman leaves and Senta throws herself into the water.

I thought that this particular performance was really neat and entertaining. Although I found it difficult to follow at times, mainly because it was in German so I had to read the english captioning above, I thought it was beautiful. The performance was accompanied by an amazingly talented orchestra and it made the performance even more amazing, setting the mood for each scene. One of my favorite parts about the opera was the costumes and the backdrops. Each time the curtain closed I was excited to see what beautiful scenery would be displayed next. I always find costumes and decorations interesting and it is always one of my favorite parts about watching a performance of any kind.

I find it so interesting that opera's have been around for 100's of years and have been one of the main forms of entertainment for many people. In today's society we are so quick to turn on Netflix in our on home and from the comfort of our living room. It does not require much work or preparation on anyone's part. If we are feeling a little more fancy we may catch a movie at the local cinema in our sweatpants and fuzzy socks. I think what makes attending an opera such a cool and special experience is everything that goes into making it happen. Behind the scenes, obviously there is a lot of work being done. The hair and makeup of the performers, hours and hours of practicing, the building of the backdrops and the rehearsal for the orchestra. These performances take time and take a lot of work. We have the pleasure of getting to dress up and do our hair and makeup and enjoy the performance. I think there is something to say about how we as a society are shifting to a culture where Netflix is the norm because it is immediate and convenient. But, there is something so special about getting to have the full experience of getting all done up to experience all the sense of being in the presence of an opera and getting to hear the beauty behind their powerful voices.



Ciao!

Madison



Steps:

Monday- 14,710

Tuesday- 9,021

Wednesday- 12, 475

Thursday- 15, 245

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