Opera definitely falls into the category of high brow culture. I've been to seven or eight operas, mostly the Italian ones, with a Wagner thrown in for variety.
My confession? I've fallen asleep in some of the best seats in the house. Rather pricey napping, wouldn't you agree? My opera appreciation campaign was short lived. I finally had to admit that I simply didn't care for it. A smattering of arias is the best I can do. When you surround that with hours of drama, I shut down.
Here in San Francisco the opera company performs in a beautiful venue, but once a year they simulcast a performance at the ballpark. It's free and makes opera available to everyone. This year an estimated 30,000 people showed up.
I hemmed and hawed about going. Should I give it another try? The experience would certainly be different with so many people, outdoors, on a big screen. Plus, it's difficult to doze off in those ballpark seats so no worries there.
Why didn't I go? The concession stands. Somehow listening to the opera -- a high brow experience (see paragraph above) -- while noshing a hot dog and guzzling a Bud -- a delicious but definitely low brow experience -- just didn't gel in my mind.
Imagine Pavarotti performing before a beer burping audience. It makes my world tilt on its cultural axis -- and I don't even like opera.
1 comment:
What I'm imagining is the audience in Shakespeare's day noshing and guzzling and being noisy and acting more like a crowd in a contemporary mosh pit, or ballpark, than the respectful audiences that attend today's Shakespearan theatre. Maybe we haven't changed all that much. Yes, I know what you mean about the Opera. I've changed my mind twice about going to the current opera offerings. Should I go? Shouldn't I go? Maybe next year I should try the ballpark version.
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