Weekly Photo Challenge – Out of this World
My husband and I had an out of this world experience last Wednesday evening. I’m an opera lover. One of my favorite operas is Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème. It’s a love story with a sad ending. Around 1830, in Paris, France, there were a lot of prospective artists who are poor, but happy. Puccini described their ordinary life in his opera.
I always want to go to the opera in The Metropolitan Opera, New York, New York. But it’s a long way to go from California to New York to see an opera. The good news is that since 2006, the Met Opera has made the viewing available through Live in HD around the world. It’s a live transmission in movie theaters, followed by encore showing. The performance of La Bohème at the Met and live transmission was Saturday, February 24; the encore was last Wednesday, February 28.
We went on Wednesday evening and arrived the theater early. After we purchase the tickets, we went to the nearby restaurant to have a nice dinner. Six friends of ours also went to the Wednesday encore presentation. We had a good time viewing the opera as well as socializing with friends.
The Showers of Blessings 
It seems you had a wonderful evening, Miriam. So good of you to share it with us.
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Thank you, Pranitha! Yes, I think that it doesn’t matter how long we’ve been marriage, it’s always good to spend some special time together!
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Lucky you! Sounds like a magical evening! So, did you get to cross this off your bucket list or only makes you want to see it live??
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Oh, I saw the opera alive, but my dream is still going to New York to see the Met opera! I’ve seen my favorite opera a few times each…!
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What a wonderful and memorable evening! 🙂
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Thank you, Teresa. See live opera is getting expansive. Watching HD movie can see close-up, so that is better than using binoculars! 🙂
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Heheh… we don’t go becasue Mel will fall asleep!
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Don’t feel bad, my husband falls asleep in Act 1, but stays awake for the rest!! Haha!
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It sounds like you had a lovely evening, Miriam. We very rarely get operas here in South Africa although we do get a lot of ballets and our local musical talent is good.
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I love ballets also. We have some popular ballet performances come to town. I also collect popular DVDs such as Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty an Swan Lake. My daughter like to watch them with me. We enjoy other music such as symphony and Broadway show, When I did the post, I thought of you and bloggers in other part of the world!!
I’m sure you have good local musical talents. When we went to Spain, we met several people in our tour from South Africa. They encouraged us to visit South Africa. I know South Africa is different than other countries in that continent!!
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South Africa is more commercial and first world than many other African countries. We have some beautiful game parks, beaches and heritage sites. There is a lot of crime in South Africa though so you do have to be aware.
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Thank you, Robbie. Crime is increased in many European countries also. My niece and her husband went to Europe for honeymoon last year, They were in Athens, and cancelled the trip to the next country because of the killing going on. My husband watched the change of leadership in South Africa in 2014. and the protest. Hope it didn’t affect you and that you’re safe.
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That’s sounds excellent Miriam. So great to see it I on the big screen if you can’t see it in the Metropoliton,but I think one day you’ll get your dream and be able to see it in person, or another Opera.
Where I live, they have the Edmonton Opera and the last few years I’ve been getting tickets for at least 2 out of 3 performances. My Dad took me from about the age of highschool 16 yrs old and I’ve seem at least one show a year.
The Edmonton Opera-has made huge strides in making the opera an experience for everyone, not just those who have more disposable income. The ticket prices are lower and better priced if you buy tickets for 2 or 3 shows compared to one show. But the Jubilee is a nice place and acoustically wonderful. You can dress up and be extremely elegant, do the cocktail dress, work clothes, or even jeans. There’s also an under 30 club and an under 40 club, and a senior’s club, with reduced ticket prices as well.
Anyways, I love “La Boheme” I have seen it twice and it’s one of my favorites as well. My first favorite will always be “South Pacific”which is more Operetto, but you never forget your first Opera. Last year I saw “Cinderella” the Opera version, it was pretty amazing as well. The singers/actresses wore couture fashion from Canadian designers and the set was terrific too. I missed HMS pinafore this yearand Don Giovanni, but I think I wil. buy tickets for at least two shows for next year, depending what new season holds:)
I loved your post and I’m happy you had a good time with your husband & friends 🙂
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Thank you for your comment, Amanda. Your dad did a wonderful thing by taking you to the operas. I’ve seen South Pacific as Broadway show as well as the movie version. I love South Pacific also. I subscribed season tickets for Broadway shows for many years and took our daughter to the show since she was 4 years old. At one show, the cast came to our seats with their costume and let us take pictures with our daughter. I watched animated Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake with her since she was 4, and she could recognize the music when I played the CD. Later on I tool her to see these Ballet performances, and took her to see The Nutcracker. It’s a good way to introduce classical music and performance to her.
I’ve seen the latest version of Cinderella on stage. It was a version with Cinderella saying “I forgive you” to her stepmother. The costumes were outstanding and she must wore in layers because her costumes were changed right before my eyes. If I blinked, I wouldn’t see when she did it.
I’m glad to hear you love performing arts. It’s a wonderful plus to your imagination and put richness into your writing.
Good chat with you!! 🙂
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Thanks Miriam. It’s nice you did that for your daughter too.
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Yes, like your dad, Amanda, teachers, educators have some ideal ways to influence their kids!
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Absolutely 🙂 Opera’s one of my favourite ways. When I was in high school every year we went to a play or two in the city. ‘West Side Story’ and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ a ‘Christmas Carol’ and others. Sometimes opera final rehearsals such as the first time I saw ‘Carmen.’ Each year our local Citadel theatre group puts on the classic Charles Dickens story at Christmas and one must get tickets early. They do it so well.
But I like that you started so young with your daughter. I was lucky to attend a fine arts Elementary school so many of our field trips were theatre productions at the Citadel I mentioned and our big Opera house/place for Broadway productions called the Jubilee.
I vividly remember seeing ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as a young child, along with some Shumka professional dancing, and many other plays I can’t quite recall the names of but can picture in my head. Every play I saw was good except one called ‘Who Has Seen The Wind’ a Classic Canadian story about growing up in Saskatchewan, a rural and farming province even now. It’s one of those plays/books you have to have experienced to understand. I read itin Jr. High and University and was just bored out of my mind. But at least the play had gorgeous scenery.
B/c my Dads always been a teacher, he would often take us along when the High school he first taught at went to plays when I was super young. I won’t bore you, but my absolute favourite was “Phantom of the Opera” which played in a nearby neighboring city. I was 7, got to miss school, go on a long bus ride, and see this amazing broadway type production with some very well known singers, particularly Sarah Brightmen playing Christine in the play. It’s always been my favorite, and when it was in Vegas, I saw it on two different trips and the Vegas style Phantom was very cool for special affects and that kind of thing. When the chandelier falls it comes almost right to you, it was very cool, but they no longer have it Vegas.
Anyways, what’s your favorite play/Opera?
Have a wonderful day.
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It must have be wonderful that you have seen so many plays, read so many books written in screen plays or shows..
Other than La Boeme, I like Madame Butterfly, Carmen, La Traviata, Magic Flute, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, and a few more.
My daughter was in the plays of Wizard of Oz, and The Sound of Music in the near by City Center. She was about 9, and play a small part. She play the Goat in the Sound of Music. I made costumes for her in both plays and I still have the costumes. The production group hired a long stretched limo to pick up the cast members from the back stage, drove around the block and dropped them off at the front of the City Center and rolled out a red carpet (inexpensive fabric) for them to come out to go into the City Center.
It was such a great event for the kids who played supporting roles!!
Thank you for sharing your experiences! It was wonderful for you.
A wonderful day to you!
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You as well. Your daughter sounds so cute!
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Humm, you have a pretty good idea of what you might do… when you have a son or daughter someday… 🙂 (I had many ideas of what I wanted to do as a mom long before I became one!)
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Hehe we’ll see. If not as a parent as an Auntie 🙂
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That would work! You’re a good auntie. 🙂
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Hehe thanks 🙂
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You’re very welcome! 🙂
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It sounds wonderful Miriam. 🌼
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Thank you, Brigid, It was fun!
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Sounds like a fun time Miriam
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Thank you, we did have fun!
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It all sounded wonderful 🌹
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Thank you, Elaine!
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Ahh..thank you Miriam for this beautiful post, so full of love of music and drama.
I also loved the song you had included from La Boheme. Beautiful both in music and content.
You do seem to have such fun with these showings at cinema and I have heard about them here too,
might find out where the nearest is.
I used to belong to an opera club where you met the cast before each performance and their enthusiastic and deep explanations made the whole evening glow even more.
miriam
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Hi, Miriam, good to hear from another opera lover. In fact, the Live HD includes the host interview the cast, talked about how they related to the characters, and interview the stage manger as well as showing the crew working on the sets. I may edit the post and add these comments. I thought of editing my post when I went on my morning walk. Thank you for your comment. Mirima
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this is so creative, beautiful post….the photos brings a live full of adventure….Your clips and music is rich!!!
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Thank you so much for reading and comment!!
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Thank you.
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Puccini operas are heartbreakingly beautiful.
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Yes, every one of them makes my heart sore! I watch the videos and listen to CDs, just love them.
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I’ve only seen one opera at an old opera house, Madame Butterfly. The others I have heard on cds.
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I’ve seen Madame Butterfly on stage as well as DVD. Sometimes I don’t want to see it because it makes me angry that a 15 year-old girl was subject to such pain. But it’s a reality still, in certain countries!
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Yes. It’s a sad story
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Yes, it is… in many countries.
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That’s a beautiful write up. I have never been to an opera…but you gave me a glimpse of the splendid performance through your blog (video) And I thank you for that 🙂
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You’re very welcome. The lyrics are like everyday conversation, and composers make beautiful music to those words!
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Now I am going to binge watch some Puccini operas on You Tube 🙂
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Oh, lovely. They should have subtitles. 🙂 🙂
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Oh yes, that’s kinda mandatory 🙂
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Yes, 🙂 🙂
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