Currently Listening Italia By Chris Botti see related

Lots to catch up on from this week...so I'd better start with the opera Thursday night. I went with a bunch of women whose belly dance teacher was performing in Samson and Delilah by Camille San-Saens. This was a highly novel experience...I've never been to an opera, much less seen any live show that required subtitles (the opera's in French). The first act was kind of slow (fifteen minutes at least of the Israelites singing about how miserable they are), but the action picked up in the second act where Delilah was trying to weasel out the secret of Samson's strength. The costumes were gorgeous, the music was beautiful (for the most part, at any rate), and I was surprised at how well done the destruction of the temple was portrayed...that was kinda cool to see on stage.

And now a comment on belly dancing versus ballet (this production featured both). We were all a little surprised that the belly dancing was so much more tasteful than the ballet. Seriously...BALLET dancers simulating sex on sacrifical altars...it's a bit much, don't you think??  Craziness...I'm just sayin'...

That aside (LOL), the opera was definitely a fun experience. I'm a long way from being an opera nut, but attending a local production was sort of a cultural entertainment milestone in my life.  LOL