An Invitation to Opera Rrrrrrrrrrr

Dear FFbees, here is a life changing experience I really wanted to share with you. Please read and discover why everybody should go to the opera at least once in their life. I was invited to see "La Traviata" from Giuseppe Verdi in Florence, Italy. My little sister is a pianist and vocal coach for opera singers. Thanks to her I have been introduced to a world that I thought belong to a special part of the population, what some like to call themselves the “elite”.

I am really grateful to her for this introduction to what she calls the patrimony of all mankind.

I am sure you've all seen or heard about the movie with Julia Roberts “Pretty woman” but what a few people know is that the plot is the same as “La Traviata “by Verdi and “La Dame aux Camelias” the novel written by Alexandre Dumas son. The love story between a prostitute and a handsome “bourgeois” judged and criticized by the established members of society.

From the beginning of the opera I was moved by the music played by the violins describing the fragility and the illness of Violetta Valery, already condemned by tuberculosis. Then in the first act, I was in admiration with the beauty and the vocal agility of Nadine Sierra the American soprano who was interpreting the main role that night. In the famous aria “sempre libera” she claims her will to always be free to live the way she wants to. What strikes me is the empathy I felt for this heroin of the 19th century with whom every woman can mirror themselves. We've come a long way and we still have so much to prove in our patriarchal societies.

In the second act I was enamored by the Italian tenor Francesco Meli ,Alfredo Germont, singing his love to Violetta in his aria “Dei miei bollenti spiriti”. The strength of his voice and the beauty of the music transpired so strongly the intensity of his emotions.

Then arrived the legendary Placido Domingo who played the role of the father of Alfredo who came to forbid his son to go on with this relationship and ask Violetta the sacrifice to leave his son. She accepts and this is the most beautiful and heartbreaking moment of the opera which I recommend you to listen “Amami Alfredo” where she begs Alfredo to love her no matter what happens before leaving him and going back to her life as a prostitute.

I wish I have been able to give you the desire to discover the end by yourselves and feel the emotions I left the theater with. During days after the performances I surprised myself singing in Italian and reviving this intense experience. It filled me with so much energy, so much appetite for life for LOVE and the most important thing, It gave me the desire to think and reflect on many subjects. I really enjoyed talking hours with the people with whom I had been to the theater about love, tolerance, acceptation, what society judges right or wrong and would like to dictate us all our choices especially in this times we are all experiencing.

After this I know why that I'd rather pay for a live show than “sub-scribe”to netflix. I definitely want more of these experiences, a room full of people, applauding all together to demonstrate their enthusiasm and feel!! Energy never lies.

I discovered opera make us feel all the same and reconnect us as Humans. The passions described in the story are universal and have no age, race or gender. “Beauty will save the world” wrote Dostoevsky, opera is pure Beauty, it will feed your soul. Buy your tickets. There are many ways to have access to Opera. In NY, I would always try to get rush tickets.

Have you ever been mesmerized by a performance? please share your experience, I would love to rrrread your comments.

Directed by Davide Livermore

Assisted by Aida Bousselma

Staged by Gio Forma

Fabulous Costumes from Mariana Fracasso

Conducted by Zubin Mehta