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Addicted to TV and ‘Pop Culture’? Just hanging on until Season 4 of “Lost” begins Thursday, January 31st at 9PM on ABC? Or are you waiting for the Super Bowl to hurry up and get here on February 3rd? What to do . . . what to do? Here’s an idea, make 2008 the year you get out and get more ‘High Culture’.
Art
This exhibit might give you the ‘best idea’ for your next vacation destination. Photographs of America’s National parks are on display at a photographic exhibit entitled “America’s Best Idea“ through Saturday, February 2, in a unique, 2-venue show at Biscayne and Everglades National Parks. Half of the photos are on display at Biscayne National Park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center, (open 9:00 AM -5:00 PM daily at 9700 SW 328th, Homestead aka Convoy Point) and the remainder are at Everglades National Park’s Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center (open 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM daily at 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead).
Literature
Books & Books, our local literary treasure, with locations in Coral Gables, and on Miami Beach (one on Lincoln Road and another on Collins Avenue), offers an astounding array of author events. What’s the last thing you read? Been a while? Join a book club, or just find some recommendations. JUST FOR FUN: Get some perspective with Dave Barry’s hilarious take on 2007.
Opera! Yes, opera.
If you’ve never been to an opera, you’re missing out.
Opera is pure emotion and high drama worthy of any size screen but larger than life, and therefore, the bigger the better! If you are an opera lover, this will be great news:
You can experience a Metropolitan Opera performance at your local movie theater or live on stage at the Carnival Center, or BOTH! (*”La Boheme” fans mark your calendar, you can see it on screen and live in April. If you have never seen an opera, “La Boheme” is a perefct place 
to start and it’s sure to capture your heart. Recorded by Maria Callas at an empty La Scala (pictured above), she never performed the opera in public–“La Boheme” is the 2nd most popular opera after “Madame Butterfly”, also by Puccini. And when you do fall love with it, this is the version to buy! )
IN MOVIE THEATERS:
Metropolitan Opera Performances: ‘Live’ in High Definition are being shown at 3 local theaters:
AMC Aventura Mall (Biscayne Boulevard at NE 195th Street, Miami),
Movies at the Falls (US-1 at SW 136th Street), and
Regal South Beach Cinema (Lincoln Road at Alton Road, Miami Beach).
Here is the Movie Theater Schedule:
Verdi’s “Macbeth” • January 12th
Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” • February 16th
Britten’s “Peter Grimes” • March 15th
Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” • March 22nd
*Puccini’s “La Boheme” • April 5th
Donizetti’s “La Fille du Regiment” • April 26th
Tickets are $22, $20 for seniors, and $15 for children. Click on each theater to buy tickets online.
Call 800-638-6737 or for a list of all venues, visit The Metropolitan Opera’s site.
LIVE ON STAGE:
You can see the following operas LIVE for less!
Here is the CARNIVAL CENTER Schedule:
Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers” January 26th – February 10th
Puccini’s “Tosca” February 9th – February 23rd
*Puccini’s “La Boheme“ April 12th – May 4th
Handel’s “Julius Caesar” April 26th – May 11th
Tickets are available for as little as $13.75! Click on each opera to visit the Carnival Center site.
Theater
Great theater is coming your way. Miami Herald Theater Critic, Christine Dolen, gives you an amazing preview of all that is to come in 2008. There’s sure to be something for everyone: see your favorite play by Neil Simon, John Patrick Shanley, Sam Sheppard, and many more.
So, what are you waiting for? Set your Tivo and go out!