Spanish Vs. Modern Opera?

Last night I opted to use my last opera season ticket instead of going to my Monday night beginning Spanish class.  It was a toss up!  It was a choice between a modern opera or strangling the Spanish language.  I went to the modern opera.  If it weren’t for the companions that went with me to the opera and that I ended up selling some bike art note cards to two of them, I think I would have come out ahead with the strangling Spanish.

 Modern Opera, I think it’s one of those acquired taste things; you know, like anchovies.  Well, maybe not that acquired but you get the gist.  I feel like something is lost when there’s no true classical music melodies that ties it all together and everything is sung in English.  Yes, it was sung in English.  I was still surprised that they were showing the English subtitles above the stage.  English singing with English subtitles?  Was that for the deaf in the audience?  Or maybe, it must have been for all those Italian immigrants that came to Utah?  Though, wouldn’t it have made more sense to have the subtitles in Italian then?  Hmmmm… 

I found myself out of shear boredom comparing the differences between the English subtitles and what was actually being sung.  There were whole lines that never got sung.  It makes me wonder how much I miss when it all sung in Italian and subtitles.  I mean I could be really missing out on quite a bit and understanding a whole other story line.  Gee, I could have thought I was watching a tragedy and it might have been a true comedy!  Naw, maybe not!

The modern opera that I watched was “Of Mice & Men”.  I’ve read it, seen it on film and on live theater stage and finally last night got to see it as a modern opera.  And it’s not that the singers weren’t talented or that the sets were ugly; which the set design was wonderful.  It’s just some things shouldn’t be translated into a modern opera?  Or maybe, I just don’t have enough of a cultivated acquired taste for a modern opera, hmmm?  But the good news is... I might be able to write off the parking on my taxes by selling the bike art cards.  I'm keeping THAT receipt!