#109 Go to the ballet, opera and symphony at least once in your life

I mean, come on … is this too much to ask? A little culture never hurt anyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a male or female – you should frequent each of these types of performances at least once in your lifetime. Take your daughter, wife, boyfriend, best friend, grandparent, co-worker, someone on a first date (which would really impress the person), but one way or another… go experience the beauty in beautiful, classical dance and music. 

I guess it’s this time of year that makes me appreciate the ballet because I have always loved The Nutcracker. It has been a tradition with my mom and older sister to see Ballet Austin’s performance of this classic Christmas tale almost every year since we were young girls and dreamed of growing up to be a prima ballerina. 

Not to focus on Austin’s fine arts, but if you’re reading this and are an Austinite, please don’t take for granted how blessed we are to have a really premiere ballet company, local symphony and opera. Not every city can claim that and although we’re not one of the world’s top in these fields, we have amazingly talented performers all around us. 

If you are fortunate enough to travel to New York, San Francisco, Boston, Paris and other cities with internationally renown ballets, symphonies and orchestras, you should take advantage of that and dress up, put on your sophisticated and worldly hat and attend a performance. Even if it it doesn’t end up being your most favorite type of performance, you won’t regret the experience.

I’ll leave you with a clip from one of the greats – maybe the greatest opera singer ever – Luciano Pavarotti and his famous (and last ever) performance of “Nessum Dorma,” which you will all most likely recognize.

If that doesn’t move you and give you goosebumps, well then I don’t know what does…