Not afraid to say...

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES! 

So Brian and I took someone's tickets to the Portland Opera last night that they were unable to use.  I was really excited.  I have always wanted to go to the opera but have never dared bring up the subject for fear of blatant rejection.  My dear husband has been persuaded to try a lot of my interests, but I felt like maybe this one was too much of a stretch.

I envisioned an evening of clever sets, incredible costumes, and most importantly beautiful music that would sweep us up into the emotion of the story, leaving us exhausted from the experience.

Well, I'm not afraid to say it:  it was NONE  of those things.  It was dismal in all regards.  And it COULD  have been lovely.  It was a modern adaptation of the ancient Greek Tragedy, Orpheus and Eurydice, a story of sacrifice and eternal love.  The setting was some non-descript modern apartment with characters dressed in boring everyday clothes, aside from the Princess of Death who wore a fur coat.  Not kidding.  Pretty lame.

Where I was expecting amazing music, there was nothing memorable about it.  I think if I heard a soundtrack of it today I wouldn't be able to tell you it was from that opera. 

I suppose maybe I wasn't adequately prepared to appreciate its subleties.  Perhaps being an opera novice I didn't know what to expect and shouldn't judge it against my preconceived notions.

Hogwash!  It was an auditorium full of people that had high expectations and I am convinced we were not the only ones to go home disappointed.  We may be the only ones not afraid to expose it for what it was.

Will I give opera another try?  We actually discussed that on our way home last night.  Absolutely yes.  But it will be one in which we research the production.  It will be one with clever sets, incredible costumes, and yes, most importantly, beautiful music that will sweep us up into the emotion of the story, leaving us exhausted from the experience.

Last night left us exhausted too.  But in the kind where you would give anything to be home in your bed!