I love music. What I find funny is that, since I was an on air personality at a country radio station, I have run across many people that mistakenly assume that ALL I like is country music. And that is not even remotely close. I think my musical tastes are pretty well rounded and I like at least a few artists in in most any genre from Bluegrass to Rap.
“Mary, Queen Of Scots” At Piedmont Opera + Tips For First Time Opera Attendees
Here’s an example: in high school, I went on a trip to Canada and saw “Phantom Of The Opera” off Broadway and I was mesmerized. I came home and immediately found the Broadway soundtrack and played that poor cassette into the ground. “The phantom of the opera is here inside your mind…”
Fast forward to the present where I found out that the Piedmont Opera was doing a production of “Mary, Queen of Scots.” Since “Phantom Of The Opera” is the closest thing to an opera I have ever actually seen, I really wanted to expand my cultural repertoire and check this out.
Freedom. After 18 years of being held prisoner by Queen Elizabeth, her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots breathes fresh air. Believing herself to be the true heir to the throne, Mary has been imprisoned first for plotting against her cousin, and ultimately for attempting to murder her. This day of freedom turns to condemnation as these empowered women have a momentous meeting.
My Thoughts On “Mary, Queen Of Scots”
On Friday night, I took myself to Winston-Salem. I went shopping and then to the Piedmont Opera’s production of “Mary, Queen of Scots” [starring Yulia Lysenko as Elizabeth I and Jodi Burns as Mary Stuart] at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem, NC and I thoroughly enjoyed my evening. I don’t know all of the proper terminology to describe my opera experience sufficiently to you, but I did attend the opera pre-talk so that I can start educating myself. If given the opportunity, I think you should always choose to learn. You are never too old to expand your horizons and to expose yourself to new things. You never truly know what you will like until you try it. And I absolutely loved the opera! The singing was amazing, I mean next level amazing. The costumes were gorgeous, the educational experience beforehand was interesting and I had a great experience overall that I hope to get to do again really soon.
Tips For First Time Opera Attendees
Don’t let your not having previously experiencing something stop you from ever experiencing that thing. That’s absurd. I had many questions before I went to the opera, but I really wanted to go and I did not let my questions stop me. Let me share some tips for first time opera attendees with you so that hopefully I can alleviate any fears you might have before going to the opera yourself.
- Is there parking near the Stevens Center? Yes, there is. I parked in a nice garage about 1 block away and paid for my parking in advance with my card. The machine takes cash, as well, so it’s super convenient. The deck was not crowded and I was able to easily pull away after the opera as my parking was already covered.
- Do people dress up for the opera? Yes, many do. Most men were wearing suits and ties, but I did see a few in nice pullovers or button down shirts. Many of the women were in cocktail dresses, but many were also dressed business casual. I was wearing a nice top, leggings and slip on shoes and felt completely comfortable. I do not recommend wearing jeans, tshirts, or other super casual clothing.
- Is the opera in English? I am sure that many of them are, but “Mary, Queen of Scots” was in Italian. However, there was a screen above the stage with the dialog in English for you to easily follow along. No, it was not running super fast like you sometimes experience with movies with subtitles. I find that stressful. I think the opera subtitles shared just what was necessary so that you could follow along and still be engaged with the production taking place on the stage.
- Can you donate to Piedmont Opera? Yes you can! Click here to learn how you can make a tax-deductible donation to the Piedmont Opera.
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