A night at the Opera

I'm still figuring out this blog thing. I'm disapointed so far because I want my blog to have cool headlines and links like everyone else's but I haven't succeeded in my first post, so I'll continue experimenting.

Over the weekend, I went to the Opera. I felt I had to take advantage of the Fargo Opera's production of The Magic Flute because you don't have to be in exotic faraway places like New Jersey or London to have theatrical experiences and as far as a vibrant arts culture, I think Fargo gets a bad rap. Truly, I am impressed with this community. There are 3 professional theatres, an active community theatre (with its own theatre building) 3 universities and all that entails, and the Fargo Opera and the Fargo Symphony...in addition to the Spirit Room gallery downtown and various other groups of private citizens putting together art for their own purposes.

That being said, the opera was in English, which although I liked it, kind of makes opera silly. I would rather listen to it in its original language and see how much I can follow than hear it in English and think these characters are nuts. I mean, "I heard this guy saw a picture of me and fell in love, but then I met him and he won't talk to me, so I'm going to kill myself." What?Also, I've always understood opera to have no spoken words, but this production had acted scenes with spoken dialogue.

My favorite part is when Papageno, the bird catcher, meets his true love Pagagena and they sing immediately about how they need to go off and have lots of children and name them Papageno and Papagena. It was very cute. And the costumes and the sets were fabulous! Even if you're not interested in opera, if the opportunity presents itself go for the costumes and sets. The most incredible set I've ever seen in my life was at the "small" opera house in Munich Germany.

Yes, indeed we must all appreciate and take advantage of the time in our lives when student tickets are offered to us without question. We will miss it when it's gone! The only bad thing was sitting at the opera I could feel myself getting sick. I woke up with half a sore throat (you know, when your throat is sore on just one side?) and usually by the middle of the day it goes away, but by mid-afternoon it hurt emensely and you know how a sore throat hurts to swallow so you can't stop thinking, I wonder if it would hurt to swallow now? Yup. How 'bout now? Yup.

By evening I was in a lot of pain. Luckily I employed 2 home remedies, one of them being my witches brew to kill colds and I'm feeling A LOT better today. I'm going to continue the cold-fighting regimine, however to ensure I don't get any sicker. Last night I think I had a fever, because as I sweat out the cold I had fitful dreams about the three tasks of the Triwizard Tournament (I'm reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire again) and eventually my sleeping mind summoned Christopher Lee to scare away my cold symptoms by doing what in my dreams I don't remember!