+++
author = ["authors/malcolm-vella.md"]
categories = "Op-ed"
date = "2016-02-17T18:17:00-05:00"
lastmod = "2016-02-19T09:12:00-05:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1455750113373/2016-02-18---Malcolm.jpg.jpg"
primary_image_credit = "Photo by Malcolm Vella."
publishDate = "2016-02-19T08:45:00-05:00"
related_companies = ["scene/companies/canadian-opera-company.md"]
related_people = ["scene/people/gregory-finney.md","scene/people/jane-archibald.md","scene/people/russell-braun.md","scene/people/erin-wall.md","scene/people/josef-wagner.md","scene/people/michael-colvin.md","scene/people/robert-pomakov.md","scene/people/johannes-debus.md","scene/people/jordan-de-souza.md"]
short_description = "We entered the theatre and got to our seats minutes before the curtain rose. The stage set was simple and yet magnificent with a full staircase as the main backdrop, and then the orchestra started and the singing began, WOW! The voices. I never thought operas could be so humorous and enjoyable, I always thought operas were serious and tragic with the cliché of a fat lady in a flowing floor length  gown and horned helmet - was I wrong!"
slug = "newbies-at-the-opera"
title = "Newbies at the opera"
+++

Being more of a rock/indie concert-goer, and the occasional Broadway musical, I had never been to a proper opera before. All I knew about opera was from Saturday morning cartoons - ["Kill Da Wabbit"](http://store.schmopera.com/) comes to mind.  When the opportunity came up to see an opera (and a classic at that, [*The Marriage of Figaro*](/in-review-the-marriage-of-figaro/)), I couldn’t say no.

It was my first time at the COC and I was in awe. It was lovely to see people dressed up (I now wish I had worn a tie), and the anticipation in the air was electrifying - it could’ve been my own excitement being an opera virgin, I didn’t know what to expect.

<figure data-type="image">{{% md %}}![](https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1455750946938/2016-02-18---Malcolm-Greg.jpg.jpg)<figcaption>Opera newbie Malcolm Vella with his *Marriage of Figaro* date, contributor Greg Finney.</figcaption>
</figure>

We entered the theatre and got to our seats minutes before the curtain rose. The stage set was simple and yet magnificent with a full staircase as the main backdrop, and then the orchestra started and the singing began, WOW! The voices. I never thought operas could be so humorous and enjoyable, I always thought operas were serious and tragic with the cliché of a fat lady in a flowing floor-length  gown and horned helmet - was I wrong!

The show was so enjoyable I didn’t see the time go by – and I was so happy to see the English surtitles way above, so that someone like me, not knowing much about the story, could follow.

Would I like to see another opera? Of course!

By the way, which opera has the fat lady in a horned helmet?
