Thanks everyone for the great responses so far. I have gone from skeptically nervous to really looking forward to it.
Now I need to find a date.
Another thought that’s occurred before when people are going to an opera for the first time: don’t expect verisimilitude or strict realism in the overall situation/plot and casting, rather focus on how the music conveys the emotion/mood of the individual moment. The singers might not look like love’s young dream, the plot might seem nonsensical, but is this or that aria making you feel the character’s joy or despair, love or hatred - never mind how it comes about.
I’d never been to an Opera before about a year and a half ago, when my bell choir got a new director who is an opera singer. So to be supportive, we’ve been to the opera three times.
The second one was Don Giovanni (I think). It was a spectacle in the best way, even though the plot was annoying and with respect to your point about strict realism . . . Don Giovanni’s servant had long hair and a full beard. And somehow he’s supposed to disguise himself as his master (who had short hair and probably no beard)? (I was also disappointed in the costumes-- the chorus (male and female) wore ill-fitting tuxedos. ).
Since then, I’ve seen the Marriage of Figaro–which was straight up delightful (and WAY TOO LONG).
My first opera was actually Susannah which is “Opera but make it Appalachia” and that one was super awesome . . . except for the way that the title character is treated by almost all the other characters. That one did try the hardest for realism.
Paging @Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela to see if he has any insight. He’s also an opera singer.
Pretty neat we have (at least) two opera singers on the board!
Mrs. Mouse would be happy to accompany you.
Haha. You’re not getting off the hook, buddy.
Well, whaddaya expect in an opera, a happy ending?
Opera is where someone gets stabbed and then they start singing.
I had been warned to “protect my heart” and look up a synopsis before I bought tickets. And, while I’d never seen an Opera, I did in fact grow up in a house that sometimes listens to the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday Afternoons, so, no, I didn’t expect a happy ending.
Try Cosi Fan Tutte, or L’Elisir d’Amore
Those motifs predate Wagner considerably. Both the broken sword and the cursed ring, for example, are prominent in the Völsunga saga, one of the sources Wagner and Tolkien used in common. And Wagner’s “riddle contest” is really more of a general knowledge quiz.
Motifs aside, the plots have very little in common, other than elements of epic fantasy (swords, heroes, dragons, etc.).
While I listen mainly to classical music, I’ve never been able to really get into opera apart from at most half a dozen works, but Don Giovanni is my favourite.
The Commendatore scene, where the titular character, blinded by vanity, gets his comeuppance is perhaps one of the most arresting moments in Western music. There are too many wonderful details to point out, but I love how the servant, who was bascally comic relief for the whole opera, becomes the voice of reason : Ah padron! Siam tutti morti. (Ah Sir, we’re all dead."), Dite di no! (Tell him no!)
For a beginner, a great opera to start with is Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann”. It’s a three-in-one powerhouse with a little of everything. The first tale is a comedy, the second is a mystical fantasy, and the third is a heartbreaking drama. Nothing but supremely beautiful music throughout.
Mark me blown away. How incredible-looking this is !!!
The big day has arrived! I’ll give you all my thoughts tomorrow.
Try to resist the (only natural) impulse to sing along … at the top of your voice 
@hajario so how was it?
I was wondering, too!
Sorry friends. It slipped my mind.
I liked it a lot. It was a comedic farce* and very funny. The speaking parts between the arias were in English and definitely not a direct translation because there was lots of pun work and modern references.
One of the best pieces of advice was to not bother to watch the supertitles during the arias which were in the original French. They didn’t realty further the plot and I saw quickly that it was best just to enjoy it. A lot of the songs stuck in my head the next day.
I’ll probably go to another one if it fits my schedule and I like the score.
*two of my friends were there (small town) who saw that particular opera before and told me that the other production was preformed/directed like a tragedy.
Thanks for the report, a very pleasant result. I believe the speaking parts in English and the arias in the original language works well. A bit strange at first but you catch on.