Not that I am making a habit of attending the opera, but we
enjoyed our third excursion to the Winspear
Opera House yesterday – this time it was “The Barber of Seville.”*
Who knew it is almost two hundred years old? Doug liked it because nobody dies. Turandot, and Carmen, our other two adventures, are a little depressing.*
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| Me and a few friends awaiting the curtain to rise |
Who knew it is almost two hundred years old? Doug liked it because nobody dies. Turandot, and Carmen, our other two adventures, are a little depressing.*
It was a super day weather-wise, and walking in the Dallas Arts District on such a
glorious spring day was trilling – so many remarkable new buildings: a
cityscape renewed and renewing itself. And just when the classiness of so much urban renewal was
about to overwhelm me, Doug smelled barbecue as we were leaving, and spied a
smoker in tow, reminding me of another reason Dallas charms me so: its ever
available barbecue!
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| The Smell of Texas Culture |
Doug asked me what I liked best about the day. Being with
friends on a sunny day was number 1 – and of equal delight -- was watching talented, enthusiastic
people doing complicated things well, while making everything they did look easy
and fun. What an encouragement to
hearts whose songs have yet to be sung, whose music waits composition!
Once upon a time, I pooh-poohed opera as a stuffy
anachronism – three operas into this new learning curve, I admit I have
sensibilities that could do with development and refinement – which is the gift
that the arts give to every single person who pursues the delights of reading
and creating and achieving.
Reading the profiles of the performers, the conductor and the designers, and doing the math, seeing how many years it took for each to prepare for this one performance, I got to thinking. How well we are propagating such talent for our children and grandchildren’s pleasure?
Public schools have pared the arts programs, and phys-ed,
from their budgets, wrongly defending their decisions as in the kids’ best
interests. (ed. opinion: Because
elected officials will not address our burgeoning debt!)
Yes, we need students who grow up and are competent – able
to compete in a global, complicated economy – we need scientists, medical
people, even lawyers. But we need artists, writers, musicians, and athletes to show us just how
wonder-full humans can be.
Especially on a sunny spring afternoon, with the smell of Texas barbecue
in the air!
Extra-Credit [Sad] Reading:
* A First
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