When I ask most of my friends to go to the opera I often get
a polite, “no thank you. ” I would like to point out that opera is all about the overall experience and
this blog is about the overall experience of trying new things especially in the midst of a life change (see Day 143). I say
go for the hyped up experience of the opera with the symphony,
singing, dancing, extravagant sets, costumes, and drama.
You really don’t have to follow every detail
of the story to understand what the show is trying to convey. Pittsburgh Opera's Salome, is all about uncontrolled lust and
desire fueling one to behave in an unusual or in a bizarre manner. We all have performed regretful acts birthed from something that we
think that we need or must have!
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Salome is a good opera
to absorb “the experience.” It’s shorter
than most. It lasted only 1.4 hours and had no intermission which helped heighten the show's intensity. It takes place in King Herod’s
Palace in 30AD. Herod lusts after his step daughter, Salome. Salome
lusts after the prophet of God, Jochanaan, who is imprisoned in the place for
calling out the sin of Salome’s mother. Oh, and one of the guards lust after Salome.
Salome is fascinated with the prophet’s body and face. She pleads
with him to touch her and to embrace her
with a kiss. As a man of God, he stays strong and his rejection ignites Salome's desire to possess him. After a seductive dance and some brief nudity, the king is worked into a frenzy and promises
her any request. She asks for the
prophet’s head on a silver platter. You get the picture- lust has resulted in
some bad stuff going down in the palace.
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| Salome obsessed with Jochanaan head |
We might not ask for someone’s head on a silver platter but there is a little “Salome”
in all us. It might come out in some type of regretful behavior when we try to obtain something that
is off limits.
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| Dress up and go |
The opera can make you “feel” when enjoying the overall experience. So I say, dress
up and try it. Salome runs the 8th, 11th , and 13th. (See
Pittsburgh Opera)
Spiritual Reflection
For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world...but if you do the will of God you will live forever (1 John 2: 16-17).
Other Sources
Pittsburgh Opera Salome http://www.pittsburghopera.org/show/salome
