When I got home for break, I had a brief conversation with my mom about opera. Being more mature and knowledgeable than me, I hoped she would have some further incite on the topic. She said that she thinks Opera is very beautiful and she really enjoyed the lavish sets and costumes involved in the productions. This was an answer that I expected from her, and I feel the same way. But then she went on to say that she enjoys them more when they are in English or have subtitles. She then reminded me of a time when we saw a mini opera when I was younger and that she enjoyed that greatly.
I was a little surprised she commented about the language because the languages and voices are so beautiful regardless of how well they are understood. I thought that it was just younger generations that were bothered by the language burrier, but I guess many others, like my mom, think that way too. No matter the art, it seems to always be better appreciated when it can be fully understood by the audience.