30 Before 30 #6 - Learn 'Opera'

Originally the plan was that I would learn German as one of the dread 30. It still might factor in, somewhere. But for now I think it might prove more useful to acquaint myself actively with the opera repertoire. Being allowed to sit in on masterclasses at UCLA opera is very eye-opening. There's a whole history out there that needs my attention!

I learned 6 weeks of German early in my time at Belvedere, but instead chose to study ancient Greek for my remaining years there. And look where it got me... So certainly I'll come back to German (and Italian. And then probably Russian...) eventually. Since one likes to be able to communicate.

As well as the languages in which the libretti are written, there's the whole other language of operatic performance. I now know my Schwa from my fermata, and a whole bunch of other things. Thank heaven this opera is in French, otherwise I'd be totally sunk.