The arts – W&L Corporate Social Responsibility

A Night at the Opera

On Tuesday May 10, I went to the Copenhagen Opera house with three of my friends and classmates for what can only be described as the strangest opera I have ever seen.

A little back story before I get to my night- I have been to operas before with my dad back in San Fransisco. When we went, we would make a whole nigh out of it- dressing up, going to a nice restaurant, buying nice seats. Basically what you would think of as a classic night at an opera house. One of my favorite nights with my dad was when we went with my best friend and her father. We splurged on box seats and as soon as we sat down, my dad pointed to a group of seats about 20 feet from us and told us that that was where the opera scene in Pretty Women took place.

I knew going to the opera here would be different, I just didn’t think it would be that different.

My story starts 12 hours before the opera began when we bought our tickets. I had a friend visiting from W&L and he brought up the possibility of going to the opera that night after he saw that The Tale of Hoffman* was showing. I loved my past experience at the opera, so I of course said yes and invited Maggie to join us.

Fast forward to 6 p.m. when we are getting ready. The opera started at 7:30 and our plan was to grab food at Paper Island and head over. Unfortunately, we completely underestimated how long the walk would take us, so we had to sprint to the Opera House with food in hand just as it started raining. Thankfully we made it to our seats with one minute to spare- then the real fun began.

From my past experiences, I knew to read the synopsis before the show began because even with subtitles, operas can be hard to follow, especially since this one was in French. What I didn’t realize was that the subtitles would be in Danish, not English; as soon as the show began I instantly regretted my decision to take 7 years of Spanish instead of French.

So there I was, about to sit through an opera in languages I wouldn’t be able to understand…and then a man appeared on stage in a glittering dress, only to have it ripped off to reveal a corset underneath.

Over the next three hours I witnessed the strangest show I had ever, and probably will ever, see. About every few minutes Maggie and I would just look over at each others with looks of shock, confusion, and embarrassment depending on the scene.

While I won’t go into specific details, throughout the show we witnessed a lot of crossdressers, pornographic images displayed on the large screen and some very graphic scenes that left nothing up to the imagination. During intermission the four of us honestly stood outside the theater for a solid 5 minutes not saying anything- still in shock from the first half of the show.

The opera ended in the same unique fashion in which it started and even though I knew the plot, I still couldn’t tell you what happened. Although my night at the opera turned out to be a different experience than what I thought it would be, I still had fun. If anything, this is going to be a fantastic story to tell my friends and family when I’m older. I mean how many other people can say they accidentally went to a opera/drag show while studying abroad in Copenhagen?

* This actually was a great opera- the music and songs were amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Just go in with the expectation that it is different than more classical operas.

Fredagsrock: Friday Family Fun

Each weekuring the summer, Tivoli hosts Fredagsrock (literally translates to Friday’s rock). Having heard good things about the event, I decided that I needed to experience it yesterday night. While I did not know any of the artists that would be performing the during our time here, I picked a day where two different Danish artists were performing. Why not experience the music culture of our host country? The night was advertised as a “dance party under an open sky,” which I thought could be fun. The two artists were Kongsted, a DJ, and Infernal, a dance/pop group (according to Wikipedia).

Although many claimed that Fredagsrock part of the Copenhagen experience and life, I was not sure what to expect. Hence, I was surprised that this was an event for everyone. I felt that every demographic was represented! There were families there with young children, couples out on a date, groups of friends looking for a fun night out and people of all ages. Looking around, there were the people dancing enthusiastically near the stage, a slightly older group bobbing to the music further in the back and people drinking beer at restaurants nearby.

Given that Fredagsrock is free with Tivoli entrance, I can easily see how the concerts become an important part of the nightlife in Copenhagen. For DKK 330, which is just under USD 50, you can have unlimited access to Tivoli and all the Fredagsrock concerts. If I was in Copenhagen for a longer period of time, I would definitely consider the annual pass. After all, Fredagsrock is not just Danish artists. For 2017, which is also the 20^th anniversary of Fredagsrock, the organizing group is bringing in international artists such as Lil Wayne, 5 Seconds of Summer and Brian Wilson. There is also a diversity in the type of music

One thing that I enjoyed about Fredagsrock was how relaxed the atmosphere was. Of course, people were excited to be there, but there was a lack of group mentality. If you wanted to dance like a crazy person, you could dance like a crazy person. On the other hand, you could also just to listen to music while having a drink and catching up with friends. And even though it was crowded, I never felt overwhelmed by the crowd and was thankful for the respect of personal space that can often be disregarded at concerts.

A Fredagsrock experience is really what you make of it. However, if you find that Fredagsrock is not your thing, Tivoli offers beautiful gardens, amusement park rides and even a 10-minute light/water show each day. There really is something for everyone!

Glyptoteket Tuesdays

Realizing I have not taken advantage of the wonders of Copenhagen and been the dutiful tourist I should have been, I decided I would attempt to visit a site for every day remaining during my stay. My first spot was easy enough, given that the Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket is only a stone’s throw away, and is free on Tuesdays. Not knowing even what the Glyptoteket encompassed, I decided that the ease and price made it a good way to start knocking things off of my list. Upon entering, I was more than pleasantly surprised and astonished by the works which comprised the extensive collection.

Initially, I was taken aback by the beautiful and steamy garden which was the center of the building. High ceilings and lush plants filled the balmy space, with an adjacent café and people quietly moving about. What was amazing to me was just how hot the space was, practically sweltering. I am unsure what the exact cause of it but the glass enclosure was likely amplifying it, making it feel more Amazonian then Copenhagenian. Beyond this space, I found myself face-to-face with stone-cold faces made of stone. There were endless statues, both of ancient Greek as well as Egyptian origins. While I generally enjoy sculpture on the whole, I do not particularly care for statues, as they are often lifeless and not very emotive. There were room after room of such statues and figures, and I quickly lost interest, not being able to connect or understand these pieces, because to me, there seemed to be little to understand. Discouraged, given my love of art museums, I escaped the endless rows of heads and headed towards what I hoped would be art which I could enjoy.

Stumbling through the beautiful museum, I found myself in an exhibit titled French Painting. Not expecting much given the museum so far and not being sure of the depth of their collection, I went in with low standards. What I would find was an incredible collection of French paintings spanning 150 years of some of the most influential French painters. Manet, Degas, Monet, Cézanne, van Gogh, Gauguin all were showcased in significant quantities of each. Underestimation is an understatement of what I anticipated for this art collection but it turned out to be extensive and enthralling. I spent close to an hour and a half looking at realist, romanticist, naturalist, and impressionist pieces. This grand collection of foreign art really speaks to the immense wealth of Denmark and their cultural appreciation. Carlsberg has done so much for this city and its influence is quite powerful in the city. Although the full name is often replaced simply by the Glyptoteket, it’s just another place where the Carlsberg name pervades.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the scope of many of the Copenhagen must-sees, and I realize that I need to better appreciate what this city has to offer. This is by no means an underwhelming city and as I continue to explore, I will make sure to go in with gusto and excitement. I look forward to trying to visit all the spots I can in the second half of my stay.