An evening at the Boston Ballet

It’s probably evident from my posts at this point that I can be kind of a loner.  That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the company of other people– I absolutely do and I love to be social.  But, just because I can’t find someone to do something with me, doesn’t mean I won’t do it.

So when I decided to buy a subscription to the Boston Ballet for the 2011-2012 season, I didn’t let the fact that I couldn’t find a ballet buddy deter me from enjoying something I love.

There are so many things I love about going to the ballet, not least of which is being in Boston’s theater district on a Friday night.  I love all the lights and energy, and all the people dressed up, excited to be moved by some play, musical, ballet, or other performance.

Then there’s the opera house.  I could honestly write an entire post about how much I love opera houses, and the Boston Opera House does not disappoint.  Being in an opera house makes me feel like I’m in a palace.  Everything is gold and absolutely majestic.  The main staircase is so regal.  The people are dressed to beautifully.  Even the bathrooms are luxurious.

Then, of course, there’s the ballet itself.  It’s not for everyone, but I personally find ballet extremely moving.  One of the great things about having a subscription is getting to see lots of different styles of ballet.  The show currently on is called “Play with Fire,” and is a collection of three modern pieces.  The first piece, entitled “The Sharper Side of Dark,” featured an amazing selection of pieces by Bach.  The dancers were in futuristic, grey/silver bodysuits, and danced on an eerie, industrial set.  This segment also included a lot of dances without music, which was extremely powerful.  The second segment, “Bella Figura,” was stunning.  The dances were so full of intense, sensual passionate energy.  The third segment, “Rooster,” was extremely high energy and exciting.  Dancers in ’50s style suits performed to music by the Rolling Stones, a huge change of pace from the classical music I’m used to hearing at the ballet.  I was a little skeptical at first, but this segment turned out to include some of my favorite dances that I’ve seen at the ballet.

I considered not going to the ballet last night, because I actually had bought a second subscription, hoping I could convince my mom or a friend to join me.  Last night, a friend cancelled at the last minute, and I was so disappointed I wanted to stay home.  I’m so glad I didn’t.  The performance ended up being one of my favorites, and, as always, I left feeling inspired.

Tales of travels past- Sydney, Australia

My second big travel adventure, and the one that got me addicted to travel, was a 3-week trip to Australia with People to People in 2006.  Australia is a fascinating country, and definitely merits a trip longer than three weeks.  However, as a fifteen-year-old with limited travel experience, the three-week supervised trip was perfect for me.

The trip started in Sydney, with a tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House.  I was fascinated by the photos of the Opera-House-in-progress, taken decades ago.

We also climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, from which we saw breathtaking views of the city.  Sadly, cameras weren’t allowed on the climb.  We were strapped into grey jumpsuits and connected to the bridge by harnesses.  This is definitely a great, albeit pricey, activity to do in Sydney.

Sydney Harbor Bridge from inside the Opera House

At the end of our trip, we actually paid an unexpected visit to the Sydney Aquarium.  Finding Nemo had just been released, so seeing all of the “characters” in the aquarium was exciting, even for a bunch of disinterested 10th graders.

Being six-years ago, the details of this trip escape me, but what I remember most vividly is my enchantment and excitement with being on the Other Side of the World those first days in Sydney.

Have you ever been to Sydney?  What was your first memorable travel experience?