A Muehmel at the Opera? Quelle Horreur!

It's true, I went to the opera. Not a serious, fat-lady singing opera at this rather grandiose bulding, but a comic opera at this somewhat less grandiose building. I don't exactly remember what it was called, something about a happy widow. Let it suffice to say that I didn't really understand what was happening. It started with a bunch of artwork being paraded out on stage. Then a giant hand (maybe 12 feet long) was rolled out and remained on stage for the rest of the first act. People sat on it like a couch, in fact they called it a couch. All I could think was, "That's not a couch, that's a giant hand...." but I don't think that was the point. There was a really rich lady and a bunch of guys who wanted to marry her. There was also a portrait of some general or admiral or genrimal on the wall whose eyes blinked when peopled saluted it. I thought that was kind of funny. I also thought it was funny when the fat hairy guy ripped open his shirt. Other than those few parts, however, I was pretty much lost. I don't know why the guy with all of the prostitutes hanging out with him didn't want to marry the rich lady. I don't know why the bellhop was always drunk and I REALLY don't know why Santa Claus showed up. By the time the Picasso paintings came out and started dancing I was about ready to leave. Thankfully, that is just what we did, at intermission.

So it was not quite a big success, but I guess that's a comedic opera in a foreign language for you. Anyway, the seat was way to small for my long legs and they were impacted against the wall in front of me the entire time (we had front row in the second mezzanine, good seats!). I think that Esther's dad got the tickets for free because he is a share holder in Le Monde. Something like that, so at least we didn't lose anything on this brief excursion into the land of the cultured. I just can't promise how soon I will return.