Attending an opera is something that I have wanted to do in the last 10 or so years. I developed an appreciation for the opera - particularly the Carmina Burana - in my early 20s.
The Carmina Burana is a set of 254 poems and texts from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. In the 1930s, a handful of the poems were set to music by German composer Carl Orff. The opening movement - O Fortuna - is very popular and is very recognizable. I don't remember how old I was when I first heard it, but it moved me.
The Carmina Burana is a set of 254 poems and texts from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. In the 1930s, a handful of the poems were set to music by German composer Carl Orff. The opening movement - O Fortuna - is very popular and is very recognizable. I don't remember how old I was when I first heard it, but it moved me.
So, when I got home on Friday, I was surprised by a dozen roses, sushi and tickets to see Carmina Burana performed by the Tulsa Orchestra Symphony, Tulsa Opera, Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and Tulsa Ballet. All courtesy of my wonderful husband.
The opera was performed on Sunday, so I was super excited for our big date. I listened to clips of O Fortuna on YouTube a number of times. Tony was definitely stepping out of his element by attending this with me. Especially the ballet. But, I was more than happy that he was willing to do this for me.
He got us seats in the Mezzanine at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, which are mid-level seats. I watched with anticipation as the choir members filed into place - the men on one side of the orchestra and the women on the other. All were dressed impeccably. The lighting went down and the haunting music and lyrics began. The clip below is almost exactly what I heard. It was absolutely breathtaking and so much better when you see it in person. If you get the chance to see Carmina Burana performed live by professionals, DO IT!
If opera is not your thing, give it a try anyway! You never know if you truly love it until you see one performed live. Step outside of your normal boundaries and experience something new! Tony did and while he did not enjoy the ballet (which, I can't fault him for because I was there for the music), he did enjoy the music. And he said he was willing to do it because he had never done it before. So, take a cue from him.
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