The chapter about Mademoiselle Munette in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” paints a picture of life in the Latin Quarter, full of both energy and struggle. Artists like Munette face a mix of joy and hardship, but she remains passionate and dedicated to her craft despite the challenges. The chapter shows how her life mirrors the broader struggles of the area, where art and community are key to survival. It celebrates the human spirit and the power of art to create meaning, even in difficult times. The movie “Rent” really spoke to me. It was about a group of friends in New York dealing with love, loss, and challenges like poverty and illness. The songs make their emotions so real, especially “Seasons of Love,” which is about measuring life through love, not time. It reminded me to live fully and cherish what’s most important. It reminded me of Professor Gianoulis’ class, because we discussed gratitude and the importance of showing appreciation in our lives. One opera piece that I liked from the zoom recording, was “Ombra mai fu”. “Ombra mai fu” feels completely different from the other two. It’s a calm, beautiful song where a character sings to a tree and appreciates its shade and stillness. It was so peaceful that it felt as if time stopped for a moment. Unlike the intense emotions in “Rent” or the “Scenes from a Latin Quarter”, this opera piece made me think about how important it is to slow down and notice the little things such as the beauty of nature that I feel that we often take for granted.

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