Yes, I admit it. This weekend I actually went to the opera. Wedged between my mom and a belligerent man in his '50s, (hushing everyone around him), I saw Bizet's opera, "Carmen." As soon as the orchestra played the first few notes of the famous overture, (it's used on some TV commercial), I settled into my seat, eagerly waiting for the curtain to rise.

Because most operas are in foreign languages, the majority of prior audiences could not understand the plot. Recently, however, the opera houses in New York's Lincoln Center installed electronic subtitles above the stage. Now everyone can comprehend the story. These subtitles were easy-to-see, even though we were in the less-expensive "nosebleed section." Although the action on stage was more difficult to see, everything was visible with my trusty binoculars. (They have now lived up to their true name: "opera glasses.")

"So what exactly is Carmen about?" I'm sure you're all wondering. A Spanish gypsy, (Carmen) seduces a soldier named Don Jose. He deserts the army, his fianc"e, and his family for her, only to find that she is in love with a bullfighter, Escamillo. In a rage of jealousy, Don Jose pleads with Carmen to stay with him. When she refuses, tragedy ensues. Sounds like it could be your daily soaps, right?

Well, if you want a full day of live music and theater for little more than the price of a pair of movie tickets, you could try going to the opera. It won't kill you