Going to the opera has been something that I’ve always wanted to do but never had the opportunity. It was just one of those things on my Bucket List. My opportunity came up through our neighbor, Ms. Jeanne. I’m not really sure how it came about that we would go with her, but I am sure that Todd had something to do with it. Somehow though, she got the idea that we both just LOVED the opera, and went to them all the time. That is not the case. Todd does actually like them a lot, I had never been, so I had no premise to base judgement on.
Anyway, this particular opera was in Birmingham, at the Alabama Theater. Going to this theater was actually a treat in itself. It is absolutely beautiful! It reminds me of the theater Todd and I saw BB King play in Albany, NY. They don’t build theaters like that anymore! Ok, so the opera – first off – it was in Birmingham, I said that, right? Well, we are in Huntsville. So, we have to get to Birmingham and somehow coordinate it with Ms. Jeanne. She has a niece who lives in Bham, who was supposed to attend as well, but somehow that fell through. The ride to and from Bham was painful – Ms. Jeanne did not stop talking the entire time, kind of like Lael – only she talks about stuff that I have absolutely zero, zilch, nada, no interest in and my eyes glaze over immediately when she gets in the car. And she won’t even let you add to the conversation, and she repeats stories over and over, so I’ve already heard everything she has to say at least twice before, and of course she is just waaaayyyyy too excited about this opera!
Did I mention that I had never been to an opera? Todd was kind enough to print off a synopsis of it, La Traviata. Apparently this is a famous opera that anybody who is anybody knows all about. He also mentions that there will probably be a screen somewhere with the words in English so that I can follow along easier. Ummmmm, in English? – you mean they don’t sing in English? He looks at me as if I have grown another head and patiently says no Lisa, operas are usually sung in Italian. Of course they are, what was I thinking?!?!?!? Many of the people in attendance are apparently of the same mindset that Jeanne was in – they live for the opera. They had those little binocular/eyeglasses thingies, {I’m sure there is a technical term for them!} One man actually had some tiny binoculars like I imagine bird watchers use. The only use I could tell he had for them was to zero in the lead opera lady’s cleavage. I swear, every time she was front and center with the spotlights on {which was quite a lot} up came his binoculars. The cleavage was plenty visible enough without the binoculars, I guess the abundance of cleavage showing is another part of the opera that I was unaware of!
Ok, so there is my experience with the opera. And no I don’t think I need to go to another one, I can check that one off my list and move on to more exciting things, like bungee jumping!
