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| - For review #300, I figured I'd review the Pittsburgh Opera, one of my favorite arts organizations in Pittsburgh. Although I'd never seen a true opera before coming to PGH, and I'd heard that it's polarizing (people either love it or hate it), last year, I decided to take the plunge and see a performance. I'm so glad I did, since I really enjoyed it, and it gave me a great appreciation for an unfamiliar art form!
To date, I've seen three performances: La Boheme (2014), Otello (2014), and Carmen (2015), all of which were performed at the Benedum, my favorite venue in PGH. All of the performances were very well done, with excellent singing and acting by the artists. Of the three, La Boheme was the most accessible, and Carmen the most dramatic, with music that I recognized, despite never having seen it before. Although none of these performances were in English, subtitles are projected above the stage so that the audience can follow the lyrics and dialogue. Despite sitting in the cheap seats in the second tier, the acoustics are still very good. Unfortunately, opera glasses aren't available for rental or purchase. However, if you bring a pair of binoculars, they vastly improve your ability to see the facial expressions of the artists, which will greatly increase your appreciation of the shows if you're sitting in the peanut gallery.
Because I don't have a standard to judge by, since I haven't seen performances by any other opera companies, I'm awarding a rating of 4.5. If you live in PGH, or are just visiting, I highly recommend taking advantage of this cultural treasure. Even if you've never seen an opera performance before, check it out--if you're like me, you'll love it!
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