Beethoven and Ballet on a Budget

When I was telling friends at home that I was moving to Italy, many of them mentioned the culture that’s so easily accessible in Europe. Other than admiring the architecture here, and the natural beauty in Slovenia, my cultural consumption has been fairly minimal so far. I don’t count the Italian TV as a real cultural experience!
All this has changed this weekend, as I have lined up a double bubble of cultural spectacles.
Today I am going to see the Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – the male ballet troupe – the members of which the guide points out wear shoes sized 42 and tutus size 50. They are performing scenes from Swan Lake amongst other things, and it should be a good show.
The good news is that, even though the tickets are almost sold out, I have been able to profit from the Abbonemente delle Stelle that I bought a few weeks ago from my school – without really knowing what it was if I am honest! This is – I have now found out - a pass for Euros 48 than entitles me to 12 stars that can be exchanged throughout the year for tickets to shows at the il Rossetti theatre. So the tickets for tonight are 2 stars – or the equivalent of 8 Euros, compared to 35 Euros at the regular price.
Last night, after a heavy day inside, cleaning, washing, ironing, cooking and studying strategy, I was desperate for some fresh air. So I pulled on a track suit and went for a walk. Heading into the Piazza della Borsa, I saw a sign that advertised a Beethoven concert in the Guiseppe Verdi theatre with last minute tickets available for 17 Euros.
A few weeks ago Mum and Dad sent me an article from the Times that said that Beethoven improves studying ability. So I decided to trade in the reading of the next chapter of my strategy book in favour of longterm studying gains and joined the queue and bought a ticket.
It was a fantastic concert, and the enthusiasm of the orchestra was matched only by that of the conductor who was jumping so high in the air I thought he was either going to fall off his platform, or lose his skull cap!
I stood out a mile in the theatre, being one of only a handful of theatergoers under the age of 80 – and certainly the only one not in stilettos and jewels galore. But it was a great concert and I will be on the lookout for other such bargains in the future.