a night at the opera

My brief absence here was a cause of the arts - the operatic arts, to be exact. I don't know if going to the opera is what the "cool kids" are up to these days, but my new opera habit just goes to show what kind of kid I am! On Sunday I saw "Die Fledermaus" at my university, and then spent a lovely Thursday evening with fellow Minnesotan art bloggers at the Ordway Theater in downtown St. Paul, watching the Minnesota Opera's production of "Wuthering Heights."



I hadn't read "Wuthering Heights" beforehand and now I don't think I'd like to! The story is so dark, so dreary and hopeless...and so, only naturally, I adored every second of it.



I've never been to a theater production quite so much like a movie before! They used a special type of screen effect which allowed for eery lighting overlays and a whole ton of creepiness. The entire production was breathtaking, as was all the music and singing (which was composed by Bernard Herrmann of Psycho, Citizen Cane, & Taxi Driver fame). I was suprised to learn that this was the first time in 30 years that this particular opera has been performed!



Photo credit to Michal Daniel & the Minnesota Opera

Also at the event was a girl named Caitlin who is the editor of the up & coming Crooked Teeth Magazine which you definitely should take a look at! There might be a surprise in store related for the next issue....!



Anyways, since this is a fashion blog, I should stop dorking out about the opera and instead discuss what I wore to it! After I got home from class and a Target shopping trip on Wednesday, I began this skirt! I'd bought the fabric a few months ago and just never got around to actually making the garment. I spent the entire night and part of Thursday working on it. The fabric liked to curl up around the edges, so setting the waistband in and hemming the bottom ended up being a nightmare! In the end, since time was running out, I decided to forego a "professional" look and settled for semi-shoddy craftsmanship.

I paired the skirt with a vintage blouse, my new-ish belt from Motel Rocks, my faux leather H&M jacket, and a black lace slip. I actually wore black booties to the event. I let my date choose & he went for the booties, but now I wish I'd worn these gold ones! They make the belt pop better. The purse is Nine West from Macy's, which I got for something ridiculously cheap like $16. Sales are my best friend and also my worst enemy.

Ever since that incredibly dark production, the weather has taken a turn for the worst. I woke up this morning to snow on the ground (welcome to Minnesota) and today is horribly drizzly and gusty. I should have predicted this. I took the entire week off from work, and the weather always gets absolutely horrid when it knows I'll have a chance to be out in it!

Furthermore, last week I woke up with my throat absolutely swollen up and I couldn't swallow or talk. I skipped class and opted for the doctor, which ended up being a good choice because I was diagnosed with both strep throat and mono/glandular fever. They had to take a blood test to determine the mono, which left me lying in the office bawling my eyes out like a little baby. I'm so terrified of needles and blood! Anyways, needless to say, my energy is absolutely spent & I wish I could spend the days lying in bed sleeping, not running all over the Twin Cities. But if I must be running around, at least let it be to the opera!