Mommy's Date with Ellie

For our date this month, Ellie and I went to see a play called "Pirates of Penzance." Unexpectedly, this was an Opera. I can't say I've been to many operas and I'm thinking I'm not a big fan. Even Ellie asked for a break from the music after only a few scenes. That being said, though, it was probably the strangest funniest opera I may ever see. It was a pirate story that included an apprentice who left the pirates after having served his 21 years. He told the pirates that he didn't approve of their ways and now that he's no longer a member, he's going to make it his mission to take them down. They started complaining about all their problems and how they're not rich like pirates should be. He told them that's because their rule to not steal from orphans and the rumor has gotten around such that everyone claims to be an orphan if attacked by these pirates. The ex-pirate falls in love with a woman who is the daughter of a general. The general tricks all the pirates into letting him and his daughters go, and later feels guilty about bringing shame to the family name because he lied to the pirates about being an orphan, only to have someone point out that the graves he's crying on aren't his ancestors. Afterwards, the pirates tell the ex-pirate that he owes them more time because his contract says he would serve 21 birthdays, of which he's only served 5 because he was born on leap day. Out of a sense of duty, he returns to the pirates and asks his fiancee to wait for him to return. Though waiting another 60 years seems like a long time, she agrees. In the end a group of police officers attack the pirates for crimes against the queen. The pirates said "wait, but we love the queen!" And of course since everyone loves the queen, they decide they're all on the same side. And everyone lives happily ever after.

I'm guessing not every opera has quite the... entertaining, perhaps... story line and I'm not sure I'll be going to too many operas in the future. However it was more entertaining than I would have expected had I known it was going to be an opera ahead of time.