by Hunter Burmeister
Last night we took the private bus to the Baths of Caracalla in Rome to watch an opera called “La Boheme.” We were all dressed up and looking sophisticated for the show. We stopped to pose for pictures on the “red carpet” leading up to the venue, pretending to be celebrities. The Baths of Caracalla were ancient Roman ruins, which made for a very interesting outdoor setting. The opera was of course in Italian so we thought it would be difficult to understand what was going on throughout the performance. However, there were English translations of the performers’ lines visible on screens for the audience which made it much easier to follow along and much more enjoyable. We also had learned about the plot of “La Boheme” earlier in the day when we acted out our own hilarious version of the performance in class. Before the show started, it was announced that the orchestra was on strike so many people in the audience left in order to get reimbursed. Because of this, we were able to take their seats which were closer to the front for a better view! Music was still played throughout the show with a piano to replace the orchestra. I actually appreciated the piano playing instead of the orchestra because it allowed me to better hear the actors’ singing. The opera was much more enjoyable than I anticipated because the characters were significantly more enthusiastic and entertaining than I expected them to be. It was even quite comical with some humorous characters. The show felt more like a fun musical, rather than the stuffy, classical opera I expected. Despite the rain, the language barrier, and the orchestra strike, the opera still proved to be a success and was a very surprisingly enjoyable experience with my friends!

View of the stage during the performance of “La Boheme” located at the Baths of Caracalla