Die Zauberflöte

Experiencing the grand Staatsoper in Vienna was definitely unforgettable.  This was my first time going to an opera, and what better place to do so than in the heart of a city with such a rich musical history.  On Friday, I went with six other people from our group to see Mozart's famous "Zauberflöte."  We bought Stehplatze, standing room tickets (only three Euro)  for the Galerie section, at the very top of the opera house.  Despite the fact that we arrived about an hour before the show began, there were barely any spaces to stand, which left us with a poor view of the stage.  Even though I could only see about half of what happened on stage, the overall experience was great.  I had a fine view of the impressive orchestra, and we had translator screens to better understand what they were saying/singing throughout the performance.  The music, the costumes, the stage sets, and the performance, were all so colorful, elaborate, and entertaining- leading me to believe that the grandeur of the opera is just as alive today as when the Staatsoper first opened in 1869.