The entirety of the evening was filled with passion, feeling, and intensity. The play started off with a man reading the script, and then proceeded with the play.
Going into the opera with a beginner’s knowledge of Italian, I was expecting to be confused, but still enjoy the voices and music. However, above the stage there was a narrow screen with Italian and English subtitles so that everyone could follow along. My friend told me that the old opera didn’t have any form of subtitles or translations so the integration of it in the new Florence Opera House helps the audience to better understand the plot.
The actors were mesmerizing with their singing and acting. There was so much fierceness in their voices, that you could feel their anger or feeling of loss.
The experience in itself took me to another place: the sensation of the angelic singing and the melodies from the orchestra were really what made the experience so memorable.
The theme of the play was something that really sparked a deeper sense of thinking. As the play came to an end, the singers kept repeating, “We are all but ghosts”, leaving us with something to dwell on, even after the play had ended and long been over.

Diana Abouchacra (UConn)