Listening to an opera recording or watching it on TV never held much interest to me, but I'd heard that seeing it in person in one of the world's great opera houses is a completely different effect. Whoever said that was right!
We visited Prague, Czech Republic at Christmas time and wanted to see a performance at the National Theater. The opera Aida was playing - okay, opera it is!
We sat in a box seat with a terrific view of the audience... oh, and the stage as well. Everyone was outfitted in furs, hats, and elegant dresses, and the curtains hadn't even opened yet!
We visited Prague, Czech Republic at Christmas time and wanted to see a performance at the National Theater. The opera Aida was playing - okay, opera it is!We sat in a box seat with a terrific view of the audience... oh, and the stage as well. Everyone was outfitted in furs, hats, and elegant dresses, and the curtains hadn't even opened yet!
The National Theater is incredible - gold gilding, crystal chandeliers, velvet upholstery and curtains, and champagne served in Bohemian Crystal stemware during intermission. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas when we were there.
It was funny to sit in a Czech theater, listening to an Italian opera about Egyptian Royalty with readerboard subtitles in English, German and Czech. The plot was complicated - there was drama, love, betrayal, deception, death.... wait, isn't that the plot of almost every opera?
It was fun, but it didn't make me a lifetime opera fanatic. If it came up, I'd probably go to another one, but it's not something I'm seeking out with any regularity. I still have "See Wagner's Ring series," on my list, but that means sitting through 14.5 hours of opera - Norse style! I'll get to it, sooner or later.
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